Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is leading the field in the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary with 26% support, according to a Marquette Law School poll. The primary is for the open seat to succeed retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is in second place with 15% support. The poll, conducted July 8-16, surveyed 838 Wisconsin registered voters, including 695 likely voters. The overall sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
Hong has secured endorsements from national progressive figures like Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna. Her platform includes policies such as guaranteed paid leave and a one-year moratorium on building AI data centers in Wisconsin. She has also faced past scrutiny over social media posts advocating for defunding the police, though her campaign states she no longer supports such measures.
Shifting Dynamics in the Primary
Wisconsin's current lieutenant governor, Sara Rodriguez, had 11% support in the poll before suspending her campaign last week due to issues with her financial reports. If Rodriguez's supporters transferred their votes to their second choices, the poll indicated Hong leading Barnes by a margin of 27% to 18%.
Other candidates, including Joel Brennan and Kelda Roys, registered in the low single digits. Following Rodriguez's withdrawal, former Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley re-entered the race and received the endorsement of Gov. Evers.
General Election Outlook
The Republican nomination is expected to go to U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who faces a long-shot challenger in the GOP primary. In hypothetical general election matchups, the poll suggests Barnes would narrowly defeat Tiffany 44%-40%, while Hong would trail Tiffany 43%-40%.
The primary is seen as a key contest in a crucial swing state, reflecting a broader ideological debate within the Democratic Party between progressive and center-left factions.
