State Rep. Francesca Hong announced Wednesday that she has joined Wisconsin’s open race for governor, casting herself as a “wild card” who will run a movement-driven campaign focused on policies aimed at helping the working class.
Hong, 36, a Democrat from Madison who serves in the state Assembly, told supporters she will emphasize universal child care, paid family leave, lower health care costs, higher wages for in-home health care workers and increased funding for public schools. She said her campaign will prioritize outreach to voters who have not been consistently engaged in past elections.
A self-described political outsider, Hong also works as a bartender, dishwasher and line cook, and is a single mother who has described difficulties finding affordable housing. "I like considering myself the wild card," she said, adding that the campaign will employ creative digital strategies and movement-building tactics to expand the electorate.
Hong, one of four Wisconsin Assembly Democrats who are members of the Democratic Socialists Caucus, has been an outspoken presence in state politics and is known for blunt language on social media. She was first elected to the Assembly in 2020 and ran unopposed in both 2022 and 2024.
She criticized the policies of former President Donald Trump’s administration in her announcement, saying it should not be viewed as merely an administration but as authoritarians "who aim to increase mass suffering and harm working class families across the state." Hong said many communities remain worried about health care and wages and that her campaign will center working-class families.
Hong joins a Democratic field that has yet to produce a clear front-runner. Other announced Democratic candidates include Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and state Sen. Kelda Roys. Attorney General Josh Kaul and other Democrats have indicated they are considering runs.
On the Republican side, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and suburban Milwaukee business owner Bill Berrien are the only announced candidates so far. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski are among Republicans reported to be weighing bids.
The race is for the seat Gov. Tony Evers will vacate after two terms, creating an open contest for the first time in Wisconsin since 2010. The statewide primary is scheduled for August 2026, with the general election to follow in November.
Hong framed her campaign as a challenge to establishment politics within her own party, saying, "We’re meeting a moment that requires a movement and not an establishment candidate." She said her personal experiences working service jobs and navigating single parenthood inform her policy priorities and messaging.
Her entry adds an outspoken progressive voice to a Democratic field that includes more traditional statewide officeholders and county executives, setting up a primary contest that will test competing approaches to messaging, turnout and coalition-building ahead of next year’s primary and general elections.