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Listen to this article with a free profile 00:00 00:00 Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong. Nam Y. Huh / AP Share Add NBC News to Google Aug. 10, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT By The Politics Desk Welcome to From the Politics Desk , a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.
In today’s edition, I take a look at the lack of attacks Francesca Hong has faced on the Wisconsin airwaves. Plus, Allan Smith dives into an unexpected bipartisan pairing in Pennsylvania.
In the final stretch of Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, Francesca Hong has confronted growing criticism from members of her party that she is too far to the left to win a general election in a swing state.
But very few of those attacks have come directly from her Democratic opponents — one possible reason she has managed to build a double-digit lead in the polls.
At the end of last week, an outside group backing Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley — who has emerged as Hong’s main rival — launched a TV ad saying that “Francesca Hong’s record is a distraction we can’t afford.”
It marks the first broadcast ad from a Democratic-aligned group attacking Hong all primary season, AdImpact data shows. The pro-Crowley group had been focused on positive spots the last few weeks after their candidate re-entered the race as moderate Democrats scrambled to find an alternative to Hong.
Hong has also been targeted by nearly $3 million in ads from a group linked to the Republican Governors Association calling her “too liberal for Wisconsin.” But those are an effort by the GOP to boost the Democrat they view as most beatable in November.
Overall, there hasn’t been much in the way of advertising fireworks ahead of tomorrow’s Wisconsin gubernatorial primary. Crowley’s campaign and allied outside groups have spent $4 million on ads, easily more than anyone else on the Democratic side, according to AdImpact . Hong and groups supporting her have spent less than a half-million dollars.
It’s been a similar story on the campaign trail. Crowley and his most prominent supporter, outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers , have taken some shots at the controversial positions Hong has posted on social media and tried to walk back. Still, Evers said on WISN-TV’s “UpFront” that “of course we’ll be helpful” if Hong wins the nomination.
And during the lone debate of the primary at the end of last month, Hong didn’t face any direct criticisms from the other Democrats onstage.
Contrast that to the last progressive-versus-establishment duel in a battleground state. In Michigan’s contentious Democratic Senate primary , Abdul El-Sayed was hit with at least $19 million in negative broadcast ads, per AdImpact.
El-Sayed’s primary against Rep. Haley Stevens was also much more centered on Democratic divisions over U.S. policy toward Israel, drawing tens of millions of dollars in ad spending from pro-Israel groups. While Hong has been an Israel critic, the broader issue has not played a major role in the Wisconsin primary.
Over the last 19 months, Pennsylvania’s most prominent political odd couple has taken several opportunities to spotlight their budding bromance.
Sens. John Fetterman , a Democrat, and Dave McCormick , a Republican, have promoted domestic and foreign policy initiatives hand in hand — including efforts to combat drug trafficking, antisemitism and even spotted lanternflies — all while insisting they don’t agree on everything, yet rarely voicing such disputes.
But as the relationship between Fetterman and McCormick reaches new heights, it is perplexing members of both parties. Most notably, a joint fundraising committee the duo established triggered a wave of Democratic criticism of Fetterman, who has toyed with the possibility of leaving the party.
They also teamed up to promote a new federal child savings account — dubbed “Trump accounts” — in Philadelphia this summer, one of Fetterman’s few official visits as a senator to Pennsylvania’s biggest city. And, after Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said Pennsylvania businesses weren’t interested in staffing a table at President Donald Trump ’s “Great American State Fair,” Fetterman and McCormick brought a Keystone State booth to the event.
Battleground Pennsylvania has a history of bipartisan relationships. And McCormick’s allies say the two have developed a genuine friendship and that their spouses have helped foster it. But increasingly, Democrats who have soured on Fetterman — including former staffers — have accused him of boosting Republican priorities at McCormick’s request without delivering wins for his own party or state.
That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Lauren Zola.
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