Sen. Bernie Sanders said he has limited resources and cannot endorse every progressive candidate, responding to criticism that his lack of support for Francesca Hong contributed to her narrow loss in Wisconsin's gubernatorial primary Tuesday.
Hong, a Democratic socialist, lost to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley by less than 4,000 votes, a result that some high-profile progressives are blaming on Sanders and other national progressive leaders for staying out of the race. The outcome was seen as a victory for establishment Democrats who had worried Hong would be too far left to win the general election in a key battleground state.
What the Right Is Saying
Sanders pointed to a series of progressive wins Tuesday night as evidence his strategy is working. He noted primary victories by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in the Minnesota Senate race, Rebecca Cooke in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, and Matt Little in the crowded race for Rep. Angie Craig's Minnesota seat.
"Needless to say, I'm feeling really very good," Sanders told POLITICO. "The American people are catching on that we have an economy that is rigged, the very rich are getting richer while working families are struggling."
On Hong specifically, Sanders said she ran a strong grassroots campaign and he cannot be everywhere at once. "We can't endorse every single candidate," he said. "So we have to pick and choose and I think that Hong ran a very, very great, and very strong, grassroots campaign, got a lot of people involved and I applaud her for that."
The Wisconsin governor primary result exposed tensions within the Democratic Party over how aggressively progressives should compete in competitive seats. Some establishment Democrats viewed Crowley's victory as proof that moderate candidates remain preferable in battleground states.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics say Sanders has a responsibility to help steer candidates within the movement he turbocharged. Cenk Uygur, co-founder of the Young Turks and Justice Democrats, said progressive leaders have an obligation to be more active across the battle map.
"Sen. Sanders and other progressive leaders have a responsibility, whether they like it or they don't, to help steer candidates in the movement," Uygur told POLITICO. "If they endorse people, it makes a difference. If they don't endorse people these days, sometimes it makes a bigger difference."
Uygur also criticized Sanders for saying on a podcast ahead of the primary that he was 'not that familiar' with the Wisconsin race. "I love Bernie, but that's not true," Uygur said. "Sorry, brother, but you have a giant team. Of course somebody on your team knows who's running for governor in Wisconsin."
Our Revolution, a group founded from Sanders' 2016 campaign that he no longer associates with, criticized the broader progressive ecosystem for not doing more for Hong. "We cannot build progressive power while gatekeeping our own movement through the eyes of the establishment," the group posted.
Nina Turner, former Our Revolution leader and Sanders' 2020 co-chair who had backed Hong, said support from "more well-known, more popular, actively elected progressive types" probably would have made a difference. She declined to name specific individuals she believed should have intervened.
One Democratic operative working on progressive campaigns, granted anonymity to speak candidly, rejected Sanders' resource argument. "He knows Wisconsin very well," the operative said, noting Sanders won Wisconsin's presidential primary in 2016. "What resources? You're not cutting checks. [Sanders] endorsing somebody raises the money."
What the Numbers Show
Hong lost to Crowley by fewer than 4,000 votes out of approximately 400,000 cast in the Democratic primary, a margin of less than 1 percent.
Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive, had backing from mainstream party organizations. Hong is a former Wisconsin state assembly member who positioned herself as a progressive alternative.
The same night, Flanagan won Minnesota's Senate Democratic nomination with stronger support from national progressive groups that Sanders did endorse.
The Bottom Line
Hong's narrow loss highlights the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party about how much national figures like Sanders should involve themselves in down-ballot primaries. Critics say his visibility and fundraising ability could be decisive in close races, while supporters argue he must prioritize endorsements strategically given limited bandwidth.
The result also raises questions about who might succeed Sanders as a unifying figure for the progressive movement, which has relied heavily on his star power alongside leaders such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Watch for whether Hong pursues future electoral opportunities or remains active in progressive organizing efforts.