Francesca Hong, a Democratic candidate for governor of Wisconsin, has appointed Renee Faust as deputy campaign manager. Faust, who previously worked as a child television actress under the name Renee Olstead, later moved into adult content creation and runs an OnlyFans account. She was crowned Penthouse Pet of the Year 2024 by Penthouse magazine in March 2025.
The appointment comes as Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, leads the August 11 Democratic primary by more than 20 points over her nearest rival according to the latest Marquette University Law School poll. Campaign finance records show Faust received a monthly salary of $5,743.77 from the Hong campaign on July 1.
Faust has served in a senior operational role on Hong's campaign and has been a paid campaign operative since at least January, per The Heartland Post. She has organized campaign events, coordinated logistics for surrogates including political commentator Hasan Piker, and directed door-knocking efforts.
Hong and three progressive members of the Wisconsin State Assembly presented Faust with an official citation recognizing her advocacy for sex worker rights at Milwaukee's Socialist Anti-Gala in April 2025. The document acknowledged her becoming the first person from Wisconsin to be named Penthouse Pet of the Year.
What the Right Is Saying
Critics have questioned whether appointing someone known primarily for adult content creation to a senior campaign role is appropriate for a statewide candidate seeking to govern Wisconsin.
Republican opponents and conservative commentators have noted that Hong's policy agenda, including her co-sponsorship of the prostitution decriminalization bill, represents an extreme position far outside mainstream Wisconsin politics. They argue this underscores concerns about her fitness for executive office.
The Republican Governors Association has sought to link Hong to controversial positions ahead of the general election, should she win the primary. Party strategists argue that suburban and swing voters in Wisconsin will be deterred by the association with sex worker advocacy as a central campaign theme.
Wisconsin Republican Party officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this story.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive supporters of Hong's campaign point to Faust's background as a licensed mental health clinician who has worked with trafficking survivors. The Hong campaign described Faust in a statement to Fox News as someone who 'has helped build the largest grassroots campaign in Wisconsin history' since joining in December.
Faust founded the Coalition for American Sex Workers (CASW-Local 304), which lobbies for decriminalizing prostitution and related policy changes. She has publicly advocated for sex worker rights, arguing that decriminalization protects vulnerable workers from exploitation and prosecution.
Hong has co-sponsored Assembly Bill 1193, introduced in March, which would decriminalize adult prostitution, solicitation, and brothels in Wisconsin while creating a formal sex workers' bill of rights including minimum wage protections, anti-discrimination measures, and access to workers' compensation. Supporters argue this represents harm reduction and civil rights for consenting adults.
What the Numbers Show
The latest Marquette University Law School poll shows Hong leading her nearest Democratic primary rival by more than 20 percentage points, making her the clear frontrunner heading into August 11. The same poll found her with strong name recognition among progressive voters statewide.
Campaign finance reports show Faust received $5,743.77 monthly from the Hong campaign as of July 1. The exact duration and total compensation from her December start date through the primary is not yet fully disclosed in public filings.
Assembly Bill 1193 remains in early stages in the Wisconsin legislature. It has been co-sponsored by four Democratic Assembly members including Hong. No Republican legislators have signed onto the bill, and it faces an uncertain path in a legislature where Republicans hold majorities in both chambers.
The Bottom Line
Hong's appointment of Faust as deputy campaign manager signals that sex worker rights will remain a visible part of her campaign platform regardless of Tuesday's primary outcome. If she maintains her polling lead and wins the nomination, this issue is expected to feature prominently in the general election against the Republican nominee.
The August 11 Democratic primary will test whether Hong's 20-point lead holds or narrows as voters receive more information about her campaign staff and policy priorities. Republicans are likely to make much of the Faust appointment if Hong becomes the Democratic standard-bearer.
What happens next: Watch for post-primary statements from both parties on how they plan to frame the general election race, and whether national Republican groups begin investing in Wisconsin gubernatorial advertising earlier than typical.