Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong Redefining Politics in Wisconsin
Francesca Hong — the 37-year-old Democratic Socialist — is leading the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin by double digits as of recent polling. If elected, she would be both the state’s first female governor and the first Democratic socialist in history to hold the office of governor.
Although Hong is likely to win the Democratic primary, the general election may be a different story.
Her career began not in politics, as one might imagine, but in the restaurant industry. Outside of her work as a chef, she also came up in local politics through actively participating in community organizing for the DSA. In 2020, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, which operates alongside the Governor of Wisconsin to create laws and form a budget for the state.
Hong has committed to some rather grand promises, including implementing universal childcare and paid leave for all, fully funded public schools, and more affordable healthcare. Hong’s campaign message is centered on making the lives of the American class “better.” Hong said in a campaign ad, “We can fix a rigged system that puts oligarchs over workers and small businesses.”
Hong has been an active and fervent member of the DSA since 2020. When she was asked on Fox if she would defund the police, she said she would not, contrary to her previous X posts where she called for their abolition. In May, she came under the scrutiny of her own party after commenting that her “perfect world would be a world without prisons,” although she clarified that she made that statement describing an ideal.
Additionally, despite serving with the Wisconsin State Assembly, she has called for the abolition of the Senate on X in 2021, although she has since stated she does not remember posting any such claim.
With the primary election less than a week away, a poll from Marquette University Law School puts Hong in the lead at 38 percent, leaving David Crowley, Kelda Roys, and Joel Brennan in the final stretch of the race. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped out of the race, leaving Hong with a strong edge over her competition.
Compared to her opponents, she has performed exceptionally well with people under the age of 45, and is the go-to option for most liberals in the primary election. Her tactics for gaining support have differed from traditional rallies to gatherings featuring karaoke and places that would not be thought of as political.
One of her events showcased her approach; joined by a band, she delivered a speech and then sang Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” which has become a trademark song for her on her campaign.
One of her campaign advisors who manages volunteers, Harry Walton, commented on how effective her grassroots work has been, saying, “We have 5,548 people who have taken part in a campaign event so far, (in) 62 of 72 Wisconsin Counties. They come from more than 350 towns, cities, and villages across Wisconsin.”
Although Hong is likely to win the Democratic primary, the general election may be a different story; Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Tom Tiffany awaits the Democratic candidate for a likely-tight contest. Tiffany has already begun to campaign against Hong, as in a post on X he argued Hong openly touts her true stripes as a radical Democratic socialist: “Does she want to abolish the police? Yep. Does she want to abolish prisons? Absolutely. Did she call for abolishing the U.S. Senate? Yes. Socialism is knocking on Wisconsin’s door. This November, we slam it shut.”
Hong’s open embrace of socialism has also led Tiffany to comment that he is not approaching this race in terms of Republican versus Democrat, but in terms of “crazy versus common sense”.
A win for Hong this November would be indicative of not only a win for Democratic Socialism in America, but also of a tonal shift in Wisconsin politics overall. Wisconsin is a notoriously divided state, with elections often being won by razor-thin margins. To elect a Democratic Socialist to governor would most certainly be a first.
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