Wisconsin Democratic socialist Francesca Hong, a frontrunner in the race for governor, is attempting to court former Trump voters by moderating her political stances, particularly her past support for defunding police departments and abolishing the Senate.
During an appearance on Fox's America's Newsroom, Hong stated that she believes people can evolve and that her focus is now on prioritizing working-class voters. When pressed about her previous calls to defund the police, she asserted, "I believe that people can evolve. We need Trump voters from previous elections who now would like to vote for me, who have a sign in their yard."
Hong explicitly stated that she would not pursue policies to defund police departments if elected governor. "The governor can not defund the police, and I won't defund the police," she affirmed. Instead, she proposed investing in crime prevention strategies such as removing guns from streets and ensuring victims receive justice.
She also addressed the issue of abolishing the Senate, calling the idea "nonsensical and nonpractical at this time." Hong clarified her position as a Democratic Socialist, defining it as prioritizing working-class people over large corporations.
IMAGE2 Wisconsin Gubernatorial Democratic frontrunner Francesca Hong walked back her past defund the police statements, saying people 'evolve'
This shift in messaging aligns with a broader trend among some progressive politicians. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously posted in support of defunding the police, also altered his campaign messaging to emphasize police accountability and reallocation of certain public safety responsibilities to non-police services, while still maintaining a police force.
Similarly, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, who had supported defunding proposals in 2020, later focused their rhetoric on police reform, accountability, and improving public safety, while continuing to criticize police misconduct. Hong is not nationally endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America but has received endorsements from Wisconsin-based chapters.
IMAGE4 Gubernatorial Republican frontrunner Tom Tiffany is leading Hong 43 percent to 40 percent, according to a recent Marquette Law School poll
In a hypothetical 2026 gubernatorial matchup, Republican Representative Tom Tiffany leads Hong 43 percent to 40 percent, with 17 percent of registered voters undecided, according to a recent Marquette Law School poll. Wisconsin's primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11.