Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor today tests whether anti-establishment sentiment sweeping the Midwest will propel democratic socialist Francesca Hong past moderate David Crowley in a race that reflects deep divisions within the party.
Hong, a state lawmaker and former chef, has maintained a commanding polling lead heading into the August 11 primary, with a final Marquette University Law School poll showing her at 38 percent support among Democratic voters. A State Navigate survey conducted in late July found her at 44 percent, nearly double Crowley’s support in that same period. The race narrows to four candidates: Hong, Crowley, state Senator Kelda Roys, and former state administration department head Joel Brennan.
Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive and the establishment’s preferred choice, re-entered the race on July 18 after initially dropping out two weeks earlier. His comeback came with the backing of outgoing Gov. Tony Evers, who toured the state with Crowley in the final weeks, arguing that Crowley was more electable in a general election against Republican Tom Tiffany, a Trump ally and House Freedom Caucus member.
Hong’s rise reflects the democratic socialist movement’s momentum across the country. She is endorsed by Wisconsin chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America and has centered her campaign on universal childcare, fully funding public schools, a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, and raising the minimum wage to $20 indexed to the cost of living. When asked about her insurgent bid, Hong told the Guardian, “I got into this race because I know that we can win and that Wisconsinites are going to fight for one another and fight to be a part of the change, because they’re tired of people making decisions that don’t improve lives and they’re tired of the status quo.”
Her past social media comments from 2019 to 2021 have drawn scrutiny: she called for defunding the police, abolishing ICE and the U.S. Senate, and posted that people should “cancel Thanksgiving.” She has since disavowed some of these remarks and told Politico last week that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday. Republicans, led by Trump, have attacked her record as her national profile has risen.
The Wisconsin primary mirrors a broader pattern of progressive victories in Democratic primaries this election cycle. Last week, progressive Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, defeating moderate establishment-backed Haley Stevens in what one source described as a test of anti-establishment sentiment. The Midwest contests have drawn particular attention because they center on electability concerns in swing states, unlike earlier progressive wins in solidly Democratic areas like New York, where democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayor’s race in 2025.
The stakes for Wisconsin are high: the state backed Trump by less than a point in 2024 and is one of only two in the nation with one Republican and one Democratic senator. Democrats also hope to flip control of the state legislature to establish a governing trifecta. The Democratic nominee will face Tiffany, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary and has denied the 2020 election results.
Crowley, who initially left the race citing data showing he couldn’t win, reversed course after discovering what he called “false data.” In a debate last month, he positioned himself as a centrist alternative to Hong’s more ambitious progressive platform, emphasizing his executive experience and ability to appeal to swing voters. Yet some observers saw his re-entry as evidence that the establishment was moving to block Hong’s path, even as Crowley himself resisted that characterization.
Sources
- The Guardian — Hong’s polling lead, her platform, her background as a chef and former restaurant owner, Crowley’s re-entry with Evers’ backing, Hong’s past social media comments, and the broader context of anti-establishment wins
- CBS News — Details on the four-way primary field, Crowley’s initial dropout and re-entry, Evers’ support for Crowley, Hong’s past comments and her disavowal of them, and the general election matchup against Tiffany
- Marquette University Law School Poll — Final primary poll showing Hong at 38 percent support
- State Navigate — July poll showing Hong at 44 percent, leading the field by a wide margin
- PBS NewsHour — Context on El-Sayed’s Michigan Senate primary win as a comparable anti-establishment victory
- NBC News — Information on Hong’s democratic socialist platform and her status as a DSA-endorsed candidate
