With Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor just days away on Aug. 11, the race has turned into a frantic, high-stakes scramble as party establishment figures pour energy into stopping progressive state Rep. Francesca Hong — only to watch her maintain a roughly 20-point lead in the latest polls.
Hong, a Madison Democratic socialist and former restaurant owner, has surged to the front of a chaotic field after incumbent Gov. Tony Evers opted not to seek a third term. Recent surveys, including a State Navigate poll released Friday, show her at 44% support among likely Democratic primary voters, with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley trailing at about 24% or less; a consistent double-digit gap that has held even as other candidates exited or re-entered the race. Earlier Marquette Law School polling put her at 38% against a fragmented opposition.
Establishment Democrats, including Evers (who endorsed Crowley), have grown increasingly alarmed that Hong’s unabashed leftism could jeopardize a competitive general election against Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in a key swing state. Efforts to consolidate support behind a more moderate alternative have largely fizzled amid withdrawals, reentries, and divided endorsements. Critics warn her nomination risks alienating swing voters, while Hong’s campaign highlights her volunteer network, anti-corporate messaging, and appeal to younger and progressive voters hungry for policies like universal childcare, fully funded public schools, and a public bank.
National attention has zeroed in on Hong’s past social media statements, particularly a now-deleted 2020 Thanksgiving post that has dominated cable news and online discourse in the campaign’s final stretch. I
“Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621,” she wrote. “If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed Indigenous folx and women so be it.”
Pressed on CNN about whether she still stood by the remark, Hong offered a muddled response noting that “views can evolve,” that Thanksgiving can be “incredibly painful for many people in our communities,” and that her background as a chef values bringing people around the table.
The answer drew sharp criticism even from some Democrats, including former Obama adviser David Axelrod, who suggested it could leave the party “cooked” if she wins the nomination. Hong later told interviewers Thanksgiving is her “favorite holiday” and that she does not want to cancel it. The answer was not especially convincing.
Other resurfaced comments have compounded the scrutiny, including past support for abolishing or defunding the police as a step toward broader change and critical takes on holidays like Valentine’s Day. Hong has walked back or contextualized several of these positions on the trail, emphasizing evolution in her views and focusing on working-class priorities. Opponents argue the statements reveal an extreme worldview ill-suited for statewide office; her supporters dismiss the focus as a distraction from her policy agenda and grassroots momentum.
The primary has become a national test case for whether democratic socialist energy — buoyed by recent progressive wins elsewhere — can translate in a battleground state. Hong remains the clear frontrunner, leaving frantic stop-Hong efforts struggling to close a persistent gap that has defined the race’s wild final days.
