Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has voiced concerns regarding the campaign of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Francesca Hong, suggesting she is "undermining" her own strengths by backtracking on controversial past statements. Walker believes that Hong's willingness to shift her positions on issues like abolishing the police and her comments on Thanksgiving could alienate the primary voters who were initially drawn to her as an outsider candidate.
Walker, now president of the Young America's Foundation, stated in a recent interview that Hong's backtracking signals a willingness to say anything to get elected. "And finally, as she’s getting close, thinking she might actually be the nominee, people are telling her you cannot have outrageously outlandish ideas," Walker said. He pointed to Hong's past social media posts, including one that suggested "Cancel Thanksgiving" and remarks about not caring for Christmas or Culver's cheese curds, as examples of positions "wildly out of touch" with the electorate.
According to Walker, a key factor in Hong's primary success has been her image as an anti-establishment figure. He warned that by softening her stances, she risks alienating the base of primary voters who see her as someone who "will just tell it like it is." Walker added, "So the more she backtracks on things she didn’t even say as a kid — she’s actually posted as an elected official — the more I think she starts to undermine her own base, and the typical voter can see right through her."
Hong, a Wisconsin state representative and self-described democratic socialist, is leading the field heading into the Democratic primary. Her platform and past rhetoric have drawn scrutiny. She has recently stated her views have evolved and described Thanksgiving as her "favorite" holiday, a departure from a 2020 post where she called it a celebration of colonialism.
Establishment Democrats have reportedly sought to prevent Hong's nomination, with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley noting that both Republicans and outgoing Gov. Tony Evers' camp have expressed concern about Hong as a potential general election candidate. Crowley suggested that Republicans would prefer Hong as their opponent.
Whoever emerges from the Democratic primary is expected to face Tom Tiffany, an ally of former President Donald Trump, who is the frontrunner in the Republican primary. Walker also commented on the broader trend of democratic socialism's rise, attributing it to primary voters shifting leftward, "years of liberal indoctrination on college campuses," and frustration among young adults over economic issues.
Walker drew parallels to President Ronald Reagan's 1987 "Tear down this wall" speech, arguing that communism and democratic socialism represent barriers to freedom. He emphasized the importance of reminding people, particularly younger generations, that these ideologies have historically led to failure, citing Venezuela and the former Soviet Union as examples.