Socialist Insurgency Halted as Wisconsin Democrats Choose Establishment Path

Clear Facts

• Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley defeated Democratic Socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong in Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary
• Hong, backed by progressive leaders including Rep. Ilhan Omar, faced criticism for past social media posts calling to defund police and cancel Thanksgiving
• Republican super PACs spent millions boosting Hong’s campaign, viewing her as the weakest general election candidate against GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany

Wisconsin Democrats delivered a decisive blow to the party’s far-left faction Tuesday, rejecting a Democratic Socialists of America member in favor of establishment-backed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley for the gubernatorial nomination.

The primary defeat of state Rep. Francesca Hong marks a significant setback for the socialist wing of the Democratic Party, coming just one week after far-left candidate Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won Michigan’s Senate primary. The Wisconsin result suggests swing-state Democrats may be pulling back from the party’s leftward drift.

Hong, a 37-year-old former chef and single mother from Madison, ran on a platform that included raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 per hour, guaranteed paid leave, and a one-year moratorium on building AI data centers in the state. She received endorsements from progressive congressional figures including Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rep. Ro Khanna of California.

Notably absent from Hong’s endorsement list was Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the self-described democratic socialist who has championed left-wing candidates nationwide. Sanders said last week he didn’t plan to endorse Hong, citing unfamiliarity with her campaign.

Hong’s campaign was plagued by controversial past statements that resurfaced during the race. Years-old social media posts showed her calling for defunding and abolishing police departments, positions she attempted to walk back as the primary approached.

“I’m not defunding the police, not abolishing police. I am serious about public safety,” Hong told voters on Saturday.

The candidate also faced scrutiny over a 2020 social media post calling to “cancel Thanksgiving” to “stop celebrating colonialism.” After backlash, Hong reversed course, claiming Thanksgiving is now her “favorite holiday.”

When pressed about her previous statements, Hong told reporters Saturday that she has “evolved” and “learned.”

Crowley benefited from strong establishment support, most notably from retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who actively campaigned for him in the final stretch. Both Evers and Crowley warned that a Hong victory could endanger Democratic control of the governor’s office in this critical swing state.

A Wisconsin-based Democratic strategist, speaking anonymously, expressed relief at the outcome, arguing that Hong at the top of the ticket would have hurt Democrats “down ballot, in key congressional and legislative races” throughout the battleground state.

The general election race is considered a top flip opportunity for Republicans. Crowley will face Rep. Tom Tiffany, a House Freedom Caucus member backed by President Donald Trump, in what promises to be one of the most closely watched gubernatorial contests of the 2026 midterms.

In a revealing twist, pro-Republican super PACs, including one aligned with the Republican Governors Association, spent millions of dollars boosting Hong’s primary campaign. GOP strategists viewed the Democratic Socialist as the weakest potential opponent for Tiffany in the general election.

On the eve of the primary, Tiffany told Fox News Digital that Wisconsin would serve as “the firewall” against socialism, declaring: “We’ll be the place that stops socialism.”

The governor’s race opened after Evers announced he would not seek a third term, giving Wisconsin Democrats their first opportunity in 16 years to choose a nominee without an incumbent governor on the ballot. The primary was closely watched as an early test of whether Wisconsin Democrats favored the party’s progressive wing or its establishment.

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, two major contenders for the Democratic nomination, exited the race earlier this summer. Crowley, who had suspended his campaign to back Rodriguez, re-entered the contest after her departure.

When asked about electability concerns on the Sunday before the primary, Hong deflected, telling Fox News:

“This election belongs to the voters. We let the voters decide. The candidate that’s the most electable is the one that earns the most votes.”

The voters have now spoken, and their message appears clear: Wisconsin Democrats are not ready to embrace democratic socialism, at least not when control of the governor’s mansion hangs in the balance.

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