Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, a leading Democratic candidate for governor, continues to advocate abolishing the police, CNN reported Friday.
Hong, a 37-year-old democratic socialist polling in double digits in the crowded primary, has not deleted her past social media posts calling to defund and dismantle law enforcement. In 2020, she voiced support for “defunding the police as a first step towards abolishing the police.” In 2021, she posted: “police exist to uphold white supremacy. Defund then abolish. Reform can’t be an option.” She also called to “abolish the police state.”
In a statement to CNN, Hong made clear those views remain part of her vision for the future.
“While I envision a world where public safety is not synonymous with law enforcement, I recognize that this paradigm shift is a very long term vision and my focus is building systems of care for now and for our future,” Hong said.
She added that she would not support “arbitrary cuts” to public safety budgets as governor but questioned whether current police funding levels represent an “optimal or efficient” use of taxpayer dollars.
The comments stand out because many national Democrats distanced themselves from “defund the police” after the movement coincided with rising crime rates and poor electoral results in 2020 and 2021. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously declared the slogan “dead.” Yet Hong, running to become governor of a critical swing state, continues signaling openness to the far-left idea that police should eventually be eliminated in favor of alternative “systems of care.”
Hong is competing in a crowded Democratic primary to face likely Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany in November. Public safety remains a significant concern for Wisconsin voters, particularly after the 2020 riots in Kenosha and ongoing debates over urban crime.
Hong’s refusal to clearly reject abolishing police raises fresh questions about whether she can appeal to moderate voters in a state that has alternated between Republican and Democratic governors in recent cycles. Her positions echo the progressive wing’s push for transformative change, but critics argue they ignore the practical realities of combating violent crime.
