💛 A quick favor, if you've got a second.
We're really happy that you chose to read one of our stories and sincerely hope you'll stick around to read more. We took our paywall down — for now — but that won't last forever, and when the gate goes back up, we'd love for you to already be on the inside.
It's free. So please enter your email here and don't forget to like and follow us on all of your favorite Social Media platforms!
The Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday represents a critical juncture for the party’s ideological future, coming one week after progressive Abdul El-Sayed’s narrow victory in Michigan’s U.S. Senate primary. Moderate David Crowley, Milwaukee County executive and endorsed by two-term Gov. Tony Evers, faces democratic socialist Francesca Hong in a contest that mirrors similar contests nationwide over how far left the party should move.
Crowley withdrew from the race July 8 before re-entering 10 days later with Evers’ backing, after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her campaign. His path to victory has been further complicated by the fact that both Rodriguez and candidate Mandela Barnes, who dropped out citing allegations of inappropriate behavior, remain on ballots with thousands of votes already cast in their names that cannot be retrieved.
A Marquette University Law School poll from late July showed Hong with a substantial lead over other candidates before the field shifted dramatically. Crowley is attempting to capitalize on El-Sayed’s narrow margin in Michigan, suggesting tighter races may still favor moderate candidates. More than 112,000 absentee ballots had already been returned when the poll was released.
Hong, a former restaurant cook and single mother, has faced scrutiny over past social media posts in which she called for defunding police and eliminating Thanksgiving celebrations due to colonialism concerns. She has since clarified or walked back many of these statements, now stating she does not support police abolition. Republican opponent Tom Tiffany has seized on these posts to paint Hong as extreme.
Crowley has emphasized electability against Tiffany, a Trump-supporting conservative congressman who holds 10 times more cash on hand entering August than either primary opponent. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s endorsement of the moderate Stevens in Michigan, who nonetheless lost to El-Sayed, suggests establishment backing does not guarantee victory.
Crowley, who would become Wisconsin’s first Black governor if elected, resists the establishment label despite serving three years in the legislature and as Milwaukee County’s top official since 2020. Hong supporters counter that concerns about her electability repeat arguments used against Bernie Sanders in 2016, when he won Wisconsin by 13 points before losing the presidency.
The stakes extend beyond the governor’s office: Democrats aim to flip both state legislative chambers for the first time since 2010. Republicans controlled the state from 2011 to 2018 and enacted significant conservative priorities, including restrictions on public worker collective bargaining. Voters in Minnesota will also decide a U.S. Senate primary Tuesday featuring competing ideological visions.
More Stories
Senate Panel Prepares Contempt Vote Against Fauci Over Pandemic Testimony Refusal
Trump Assails Democratic Senate Nominee El-Sayed, Claims Democrats Abandoning Socialism for Communism
Miami Restaurant Owner Describes Economic Fallout From Immigration Enforcement and TPS Expiration