Francesca Hong, a leading candidate for Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial nomination, addressed a 2020 social media post in which she suggested canceling Thanksgiving. During an interview on CNN's "The Source with Kaitlan Collins," Hong was asked about the deleted post, which resurfaced and drew criticism.
In the 2020 post, Hong appeared to link the COVID-19 pandemic to the holiday, writing, "Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621." She further stated, "If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx [sic] and women, so be it." The term "folx" is often used to include LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups.
Responding to the question on CNN, Hong, a state assemblywoman from Madison, referenced her background as a chef. "I’m a chef, and one of the first meals that I made that was for the community when I was 16 [years old] was a Thanksgiving meal," she said. "I always think my hospitality background in owning a restaurant for seven, eight years, that bringing folks around the table to share conversation and build community is always a good thing."
She continued, "But Thanksgiving is also a time that’s incredibly painful for many people in our communities. And so I think there, I wanted to make sure that people understood that there are multiple views, but views can evolve." Hong concluded, "And the position that I'm running for right now, and I think my background as a chef will actually help me become a better governor that's able to bring more people to the table."
Her campaign previously issued a statement to Fox News Digital asserting that she does not want to "cancel" Thanksgiving.
Hong, who has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, is reportedly leading in the Democratic primary race. She has garnered support from national progressives, including Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Ro Khanna, and shares policy positions with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.