Francesca Hong Campaigns for Wisconsin Trifecta After Gubernatorial Primary Loss

State Representative Francesca Hong has returned to the campaign trail in Wisconsin, shifting her focus to helping Democrats achieve a trifecta in the state by winning the governorship and both chambers of the legislature. This comes after her loss in the Democratic primary for governor.

Hong lost the primary to Milwaukee Democrat David Crowley, who had secured the endorsement of the incumbent Democratic Governor Tony Evers. Crowley is now set to face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election.

Despite her primary defeat, Hong is emphasizing the importance of unified Democratic control in Wisconsin. "For the last 16 years, a Republican majority in the state legislature has meant that passing the types of policies that we know can drastically improve the lives of everyday folks here in Wisconsin stalled," Hong stated in an interview. She believes a Democratic trifecta would enable the passage of policies supported by the majority of the state, such as increasing the minimum wage, legalizing marijuana, and codifying abortion rights.

Additionally, Hong highlighted the need to repeal Act 10, legislation that significantly curtailed collective bargaining rights for public-sector employees. She noted that Wisconsin was historically a birthplace of workers' rights, including unemployment insurance and Social Security, and that the state has regressed under Republican legislative control.

Hong also addressed the party's challenges in rural communities, linking the decline of manufacturing jobs and support for small farmers to the growth of corporate control and greed. She sees an opportunity to contrast the Republican legislative record with Democratic promises to reflect shared Wisconsin values of hard work and care for families.

Her own campaign's focus on issues like data centers, which she characterized as an "everyone issue" and a "democracy issue," aimed to empower communities and give them a say in local development. While Crowley has not called for a moratorium on data centers as Hong did, he has committed to 100 percent renewable energy for powering them and ensuring developers bear the costs, which Hong believes will slow their growth.

Reflecting on her primary loss, Hong stressed the importance of remaining accessible and grounded. She noted that while Crowley received Governor Evers's endorsement, which influenced the outcome in some areas, her campaign saw significant outperformance in specific demographics and ZIP codes. She expressed disappointment with Evers's endorsement, feeling it was used as a "fear tactic" based on electability.

"The person who is most electable is the person who ended up getting the most votes, and that was Crowley this time around," Hong said. "But I think there’s a disservice when you have the most powerful Democrat in the state choosing to ignore a lot of voters and people who were inspired and energized and coming out to participate in politics for the first time through our campaign."

Hong defended her campaign strategy, which included engaging with typically low-propensity voters and campaigning in unconventional venues. She believes the party should focus on inspiring voters with a vision that includes working-class individuals, rather than succumbing to establishment narratives that she feels contribute to a perception of elitism.

She asserted that her campaign's substantial vote total and narrow margin of defeat demonstrate that their voices were not silenced. Hong remains committed to working towards the Democratic trifecta, viewing it as crucial not only for Wisconsin but also for the national Democratic Party. She believes that demonstrating effective governance and positive change in Wisconsin can improve the party's standing and influence federal election outcomes, particularly in a pivotal swing state.