Socialist Francesca Hong Surges in Wisconsin Despite Democrat Anxiety

0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Democratic socialist Francesca Hong’s chances of winning the Democratic primary in Wisconsin ’s gubernatorial race received a boost on Tuesday, despite many in her party being anxious about her candidacy in such a competitive state.

Wisconsin’s contest could become the most significant test for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has surged in recent primaries. However, their victories have largely been contained to safely Democratic areas like New York City, Philadelphia and Denver.

A Hong victory in the Democratic primary would test DSA’s electability in a key battleground state. Wisconsin has backed both Democratic and Republican candidates in recent election cycles, backing President Donald Trump by less than a percentage point in 2024—the narrowest margin of any state.

The prospect of a Democratic socialist securing the nomination in such a divided state has sparked anxiety from the party’s establishment.

Although Democrats anticipate a favorable national environment due to President Donald Trump’s faltering national approval rating, some have expressed concerns that a progressive like Hong on the ballot could cost Democrats in the general election over a more centrist candidate.

The Wisconsin primary is set to be held on August 11, 2026.

The new poll from State Navigate showed Hong leading the field with 44 percent, followed by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley at 15 percent; former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes received 14 percent support in the poll, while other candidates polled in the single digits.

Undecided stood at 13 percent in the poll, conducted among 1,085 likely voters from July 23-26, 2026. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Anthony Chergosky, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, told Newsweek he was surprised by the magnitude of Hong’s lead in the poll.

“Hong’s rise reflects the anti-establishment sentiment we have seen in Democratic primaries around the country. She has also run a distinctive, grassroots-oriented, and very online-friendly campaign. Her democratic socialism separates her from the field,” he said.

Her success is also about Democrats’ inability to coordinate around an alternative, he said, noting the field is “fragmented” with several candidates dividing the anti-Hong vote.

Kathleen Dolan, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, told Newsweek the poll may not be representative of the state as it was conducted via text message, which generally gets responses from more partisan voters, and that it was an “opt-in poll,” meaning respondents self-selected.

“The responses only reflect those people who responded, not Democratic voters in Wisconsin as a whole. This is revealed in the fact that Hong’s margin of support is 1) so high, and 2) so much higher than the other candidates,” she said.

A spokesperson for Crowley’s campaign responded to the poll in a statement to Newsweek.

“One clear trend from all of the polling, both public and internal, is there are a massive number of undecided voters who will ultimately decide the winner,” the spokesperson said. “As Governor Evers said when he endorsed David Crowley, we can't let the Republicans meddle in our primary to pick the person they want to run against, and David has the executive experience to win the primary, general election, and govern on day one.”

Other polling has also shown Hong with a lead, but that many voters across Wisconsin are undecided about who they will vote for during the primary.

The latest poll from Marquette Law School showed Hong’s support at 26 percent, Barnes at 15 percent and Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, who has dropped out of the race, at 11 percent. Forty-five percent of respondents in that poll said they were undecided.

It surveyed 430 Democratic voters from July 8-16, 2026.

Dolan said the Marquette poll is “likely the reality of the reactions of Democrats statewide.”

“And I feel more confident saying that because the MU poll is a random selection poll that has been going for many years and has a high accuracy rate when you compare their poll results to election results,” she said.

A Public Policy Polling survey, sponsored by Crowley’s campaign, showed Hong’s support at 35 percent, Barnes at 15 percent and Crowley at 14 percent. It surveyed 708 likely voters from July 21-22, 2026.

In Wisconsin, a candidate needs only a plurality of support to win in the primary; this means that if other candidates split the vote, Hong could win the primary with support below 50 percent.

Many Democrats have expressed concerns about Hong’s chances in the primary, raising questions that her affiliation with DSA and more progressive viewpoints could alienate moderate voters in the state.

“The Dem race for governor in WI feels like a slow-rolling car headed for a cliff. If Dems there don't figure it out, they'll endanger a potential House pickup opportunity and risk installing as governor an election-denying, Freedom Caucus member just in time for the '28 election,” Democratic strategist David Axelrod wrote in a July 23 post on X.

Activist Shannon Watts warned on X that the race “will have significant down ballot consequences.”

“All 99 seats in the assembly are up for election. To win control, Dems only need a net gain of 5 seats. Seventeen of 33 Senate seats are on the ballot. Dems only need a net gain of 2 seats for control. Instead, we may be looking at a Republican trifecta,” she wrote.

Joe Wineke, former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, raised concerns about Hong's candidacy in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

“She is the ultimate far-left candidate. It might work in a primary, but it’s not going to work very well in a general,” he said.

Chergosky s...

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