Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers expressed skepticism Thursday about socialist gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong's general election prospects, questioning whether a campaign he says is driven by social media rather than issues can keep the governor's mansion in Democratic hands.
Evers, who has endorsed and is campaigning for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley ahead of the primary, told local reporters that Hong faces 'a real disadvantage' against Republican Tom Tiffany. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also declined to endorse Hong during an appearance on the 'Pod Save America' podcast.
What the Right Is Saying
The controversy stems from a November 2020 post by Hong that resurfaced this week, in which she wrote: 'Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621.' In the same post she added: 'If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women, so be it.' The post generated national headlines.
Evers cited the episode as evidence Hong is focused on issues Wisconsin voters do not care about. 'She was on CNN, I think, or someplace for a couple days in a row, talking about things that, frankly, are irrelevant,' he said. 'Come on! This is about making sure the people of Wisconsin get what they need to be successful.' If Hong wins the primary, her Thanksgiving comments — along with proposals like abolishing ICE and reducing police roles — would likely feature prominently in Republican general election messaging against Tiffany.
What the Left Is Saying
Hong, a 37-year-old dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America who holds a commanding lead in the primary, is running as an outsider against what she calls a rigged system. In her campaign launch video, she said 'the system is rigged' and that she is running for governor to fix it. Her platform includes abolishing ICE, imposing a one-year moratorium on data centers, creating government-owned grocery stores, providing universal childcare and paid leave, legalizing marijuana to fund high-speed broadband, backing a state-run development bank, establishing a 32-hour workweek with no reduction in pay, restoring voting rights to felons, and dramatically reducing the role of prisons and police.
Supporters point to recent victories by democratic socialist candidates in New York City, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Michigan as evidence that left-wing agendas can win competitive races. Sanders described Hong as 'very, very nice' when asked about her but said he was not familiar enough with the race to weigh in.
What the Numbers Show
Hong holds a commanding lead in the Democratic primary, and prediction markets overwhelmingly favor her to win the nomination. Recent democratic socialist victories in New York City, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Michigan show growing electoral success for left-wing candidates in certain regions. Evers' decision to back Crowley rather than Hong highlights divisions within the Wisconsin Democratic Party over which candidate is best positioned against Tiffany.
The Bottom Line
The upcoming primary will determine whether Wisconsin Democrats nominate a democratic socialist standard-bearer or a more moderate alternative backed by the sitting governor. If Hong prevails, her general election matchup with Tom Tiffany would test whether her platform and past statements resonate beyond the Democratic base — or become central issues in a race for control of the governor's mansion.