On the 11th (local time), Reuters reported, referencing the U.S. election analysis platform Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), that Francesca Hong, a 38-year-old Korean-American candidate with strong leftist views, was expected to lose the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor to moderate candidate David Crowley. Hong, affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a progressive left-wing group within the Democratic Party, had been anticipated to win comfortably in pre-election surveys after advocating for populist policies. Nevertheless, worries about her viability in the general election, stemming from previous radical statements, slowed her progress.
With 98% of the votes tallied, Hong received 39.4% of the vote, while Crowley obtained 39.8%. Although the difference was extremely small, the DSA group was taken aback, as Hong had maintained a lead of more than 10 percentage points over Crowley throughout the primary. The rise of democratic socialist influence, which gained traction across the country following the November 2025 New York mayoral election, might also come to a halt.
Born in 1988 to parents who immigrated from Korea, Hong ran a ramen-focused restaurant before winning a special election for the Wisconsin state assembly in 2020, making her the first Asian-American legislator in the state. She previously worked as a chef and bartender and is a single mother with one child. Describing herself as the “only candidate who works for a living, daughter of Korean immigrants, single mother, and tenant,” she became popular with younger voters through strong promises like free school meals, increased taxes on the wealthy, and a 32-hour workweek without reducing pay.
Nevertheless, her previous extreme statements came back into focus toward the end of the campaign, influencing public sentiment. In 2020, Hong referred to Thanksgiving, a significant U.S. holiday, as a “colonizers’ holiday” on social media and encouraged people to avoid celebrating it. Before Independence Day, she remarked, “I don’t enjoy fireworks.” Her proposals to eliminate the U.S. Senate, a fundamental part of American governance, increased concerns among voters. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) condemned her policies in an editorial, noting, “Even a partial execution of these plans would be disastrous.”
Even within the DSA, which had been growing its impact within the Democratic Party, backing for Hong was uncertain. Outgoing Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, publicly supported Crowley, cautioning that Hong’s previous statements could jeopardize the party’s prospects against Republican congressional candidate Tom Tiffany in November. Hong also did not receive endorsements from self-described DSA members such as independent Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The New York Times (NYT) stated, “The race was viewed as a test of the progressive faction’s power in a crucial battleground state,” and added, “Hong caused concern among moderates who were worried about her ability to compete against a Republican in the November general election.”
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