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Francesca Hong, a Democratic socialist running for Wisconsin governor, addressed questions Monday regarding the absence of endorsements from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders ahead of Tuesday’s primary. Hong expressed respect for both lawmakers, characterizing their focus on midterm strategy rather than state-level races as a natural priority given their federal roles.
When pressed on whether the lack of endorsements suggested the two progressives doubted her electability statewide, Hong distinguished gubernatorial contests from federal elections, implying the comparison may not be direct. The candidate’s comments came after Ocasio-Cortez appeared on ABC’s “This Week,” where she explained her decision to remain neutral in the race by emphasizing her concentration on reclaiming the House and Senate.
During that same interview, Ocasio-Cortez fielded questions about controversial statements Hong had made previously. The congresswoman noted that Hong “has made clear her present stances to her electorate” and had “moved away from” earlier remarks, while adding that voters should assess candidates based on their current positions rather than past statements.
Ocasio-Cortez referenced a comment made by a local official dismissing what she called the “Woke 1” era as “crazy,” suggesting that evolving positions should be evaluated in context. When asked about the remark Monday, Hong pivoted to her economic platform, emphasizing tax increases on the wealthy, opposition to data center expansion, wage increases, childcare support and full public school funding.
Hong competes against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys and former Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
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