And then there’s Wisconsin and Francesca Hong
Here we go again. A DSA far-leftist named Francesca Hong is running for the Democratic nomination for governor of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is a purple state, and that’s a statewide office. So the Democrats are understandably nervous about her:
Most political observers assume Democratic insiders are trying to stop Francesca Hong because they fear she would lose a general election. Given Hong’s support for abolishing police, abolishing prisons, and other positions well to the left of most Wisconsin voters, many Democrats worry she could squander what they believe is a favorable political environment in 2026 while dragging down legislative candidates and jeopardizing hopes of a Democratic trifecta.
There is certainly some truth to that.
But the deeper fear has far less to do with November than it does with what happens afterward.
If Hong wins the Democratic primary, she instantly becomes the face of Wisconsin Democrats. Whether she wins or loses in November almost becomes secondary. She would emerge as the standard bearer for the Democratic Party, and an influential voice who can fundamentally re-shape Democrat politics in the state. …
Establishment Democrats see the direction their party is heading—both in Wisconsin and across the country. And many are increasingly fearful that Democratic Socialism is no longer a fringe movement, but the future of the Democratic Party. And they are terrified that they will lose their position of power in this new-look Socialist Party.
Yes, but I’m more worried that, as in New York, these DSA candidates will win elections. I suppose it’s likely that Wisconsin isn’t ready for Hong. But in a few years it may be.
The article goes on to discuss a host of more local races in Wisconsin in which ultra-leftists are challenging more moderate Democrats and even conventionally “progressive” candidates. It’s become very apparent that this DSA takeover attempt is an extremely well-organized national movement.
Here’s some background on Hong, who is from deep-blue Madison:
Hong was born on November 4, 1988, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Korean American immigrant parents
During the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Hong backed the Uncommitted National Movement to protest President Joe Biden’s policies towards the Gaza war, and drafted a letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Hong also joined the State Assembly’s Socialist Caucus in 2024. …
Hong has described herself as the “wild card” in the race, running as a progressive outsider. During her campaign, she was compared to fellow democratic socialist and then-mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in New York City. Hong has drawn inspiration from Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in running her own gubernatorial campaign.
Hong is the Democrats’ frontrunner in a recent poll, and she also leads the GOP frontrunner although her advantage is well within the margin of error and the number of undecided voters is large.
About Wisconsin’s history with socialist candidates:
Barry Burden, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told Newsweek that Hong’s style, message and organization approach are working well in the primary, but her style of politics is “less tested in a general election environment.”
“Socialist and populist messages have had resonance in Wisconsin at various times, from the reforms of Robert La Follette a century ago, to several socialist mayors in Milwaukee, to a strong showing by both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump in the last decade,” he said. “There are more conventional Democratic candidates in the field who fare just fine in a general election but could also fail to fully rally the progressive base.”
The DSA crowd are vicious nihilists. No police, no jails.
No police, no jails = no commies.
She bears no relation to the Progressive and Socialist Parties in Wisconsin ca. 1942. These were focused on good government issues, not striking poses in favor of malicious foreigners.
I get the feeling that younger voters see Socialist candidates as “new and exciting”, while both Democrat and Republican candidates are “more of the same.” While there is some truth that the Ds and Rs probably only offer more of the same, the Socialists/Marxists are a real throwback party — all the way back to the Nineteenth Century. Their policies truly offer nothing new. Class warfare and the politics of envy, with free stuff thrown in to pick up the slackers who are less interested in political theory and more interested in something for no effort. That free stuff is worth a few percentage points in every election.
I live in rural Appalachian Ohio, and although our township is seeing some gentrification, two of my daughters teach/taught in public schools with lots of the old families, and they have seen dozens of students every year who have no interest in getting an education because their ambition is to follow their parents onto public welfare, or better yet, disability welfare. Their parents did it, their aunts and uncles did it, and that’s their highest ambition. If a politician comes through here offering free stuff, they’re an easy audience. Socialist? Marxist? Who cares — they’re offering free stuff.
Combine that vote with the young students at the local university and this county will pull the D lever every time. And you can’t scare them by telling them a given candidate is Socialist, Marxist or Communist. It’s just not a threat.
F:
To them J D Vance must be an alien life form.
Once the DSA takes over the Dems and goes national, they will be actual National Socialists.
We all know where that will end up.
The problem is that “Democrat leaders” are only concerned about losing their power.
They should be concerned about the future of the country.
Wisconsin especially Milwaukee is full of election fraud and voter fraud. I used to live in Milwaukee and went to undergrad college there – it’s a crooked city.
Milwaukee had 40 years of Socialist mayors in the 20th century.
They should be worried about civil war and being hanged when its over.
Sorry to say we have our own DSA here in CO. SO FAR, just Den. I am not sure about the Dem running against Evans in my District. Evans doesn’t really stand a chance. The Dems have been and will continue to pour money into campaign against him.
I remember years ago taking a friend up to.Janesville Wisc. his dad was the #2 guy of Parker pen co. I remember Wisc. as GREEN!
F:
Thank you for your interesting (and troubling) comment.
Why are Democrats letting DSA members run in their primaries?
And the leftist democrats call conservatives and Republicans extremists.
A lot of projection going on.
Martin asks an interesting question: why are Democrats allowing DSA members to run in their primaries (and caucus with them)?
I suppose allowing DSA members to run is seen by Democrats as a way to beat Republicans, and beating Rs is their number one priority. Partly because they suppose fewer Rs in Congress means less support for the President’s agenda (true), but also because with enough votes they can pass their agenda, including packing the Supreme Court and possibly giving statehood to DC.
Leadership in the House and Senate is allocated based on the number of members in their caucus, so more numbers in their caucus means more power in the institution.
The question is, how much influence do DSA members have on the policies of a caucus they join? Can they change the policies of the Democratic Party? I believe they can and I believe they think they can. Bernie Sanders alone did not have a major influence on the Ds, but when he was joined with the Squad, things began to change.
The real question is, how much influence will the old-school Democrats allow the DSA members before they say enough?
@ Martin & F: Or, to look at the problem from another angle: why don’t the Democrats have enough candidates more in line with the policies of the “regular” party so that they don’t have to run Socialists? Any candidate with a “D” will win over Republicans in the areas where a Socialist could have any hope of winning.