Polls opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday across Wisconsin for the state’s partisan primary, drawing national attention to a Democratic gubernatorial contest led by socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong while voters also decide key races for an open U.S. House seat, lieutenant governor and secretary of state.
Hong, a Madison Democrat and democratic socialist, has surged to the front of a crowded field to succeed Gov. Tony Evers, energizing the party’s far left wing. Polls in recent weeks have shown her holding a substantial lead over rivals including Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who re-entered the race and secured Evers’ endorsement; state Sen. Kelda Roys; and former state administration secretary Joel Brennan.
Several candidates who withdrew, including former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, remain on the ballot.
The race has become a high-profile test of socialist strength in a key Midwestern battleground. Hong, a former restaurant owner first elected to the Assembly in 2020, has gone viral for her radical stances–incuding multiple calls to abolish Thanksgiving. The Democratic nominee is expected to face U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican frontrunner, in November. Tiffany faces a primary challenge from Andy Manske.
Beyond the governor’s race, attention is focused on Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, an open seat after Tiffany’s decision to seek statewide office. The heavily Republican Northwoods district features a five-candidate GOP primary that includes Michael Alfonso, Transportation Secretary and former Rep. Sean Duffy’s son-in-law; Kevin Hermening, a Marine Corps veteran and financial advisor; and Jessi Ebben, a public relations executive. Three Democrats—Chris Armstrong, Fred Clark and Ginger Murray—are also competing for their party’s nomination.
The lieutenant governor’s race pairs the winner of each party’s primary with the respective gubernatorial nominee under Wisconsin’s system. Democrat Sarah Godlewski, the current secretary of state, is unopposed. Republicans choose between Will Martin, a talk radio host and former official in Republican administrations who carries the state party’s endorsement, and David Varnam, a former mayor of Lancaster.
For secretary of state, an office focused on state records and related duties rather than election administration, Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa, a Milwaukee alder and former state representative, faces no primary opposition. Four Republicans are competing: Nate Pollnow, a farmer and businessman endorsed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin; Jay Schroeder; Brayden Myer; and Cindy Werner.
Polls remain open until 8 p.m. Wisconsin conducts open partisan primaries in which voters select one party’s ballot without prior registration. Early and absentee voting has already drawn significant participation.
The Heartland Post will be streaming results live. Watch live starting at 8:00!
