Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley wins Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary over democratic socialist Francesca Hong, as Democrats across three states signal a preference for establishment over progressive candidates.
By Imran Malik | US Politics Desk | NJNEWSLINE
The Democratic Party’s internal battle between its moderate establishment wing and its growing progressive flank produced a clear verdict on Tuesday night, and the establishment won.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley will win the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin governor, CNN projects, defeating Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old state assemblywoman and democratic socialist who had hoped to ride the momentum of recent progressive victories in Michigan, New York and Colorado.
Crowley now faces Republican Representative Tom Tiffany, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, in what promises to be a fiercely competitive November general election in one of America’s most watched swing states.
A Race That Nearly Did Not Happen
The path to Crowley’s victory was anything but straightforward. He had actually dropped out of the race in early July. But as the field around Hong appeared to clear and her path to the nomination looked increasingly certain, Crowley reactivated his campaign as a moderate alternative, with the Democratic establishment rapidly consolidating behind him.
Outgoing Governor Tony Evers endorsed Crowley late last month. More than $3 million in outside spending flowed in to support him. The race had been dramatically reshaped by the implosion of two rival campaigns, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez exiting amid a campaign finance scandal, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropping out in the final weeks.
Hong’s Stumbles and the Thanksgiving Controversy
Hong’s campaign faced serious headwinds in the final stretch. Old social media posts in which she criticized the Thanksgiving holiday generated significant backlash, which she failed to quiet in an uneven CNN interview, later saying she was joking. Other examples of far-left rhetoric and her affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America fuelled electability concerns among moderate Wisconsin Democrats.
Even in defeat, Hong remained defiant. “We are here tonight because people came together to demand something new and something better,” she told supporters. She vowed to keep fighting regardless of the outcome.
The Broader Democratic Picture
Wisconsin was not the only state delivering primary results on Tuesday night. In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic US Senate nomination, defeating centrist Representative Angie Craig. Flanagan would become a rare Native American senator if she wins in November.
In the Minnesota governor’s race, Senator Amy Klobuchar captured the Democratic nomination virtually unopposed and will face State House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who defeated MyPillow founder Mike Lindell in the Republican primary.
In South Carolina, Senator Darline Graham, appointed to fill the seat after the death of her brother Senator Lindsey Graham, qualified for an August 25 runoff against Representative Ralph Norman for the Republican Senate nomination.
The night’s results collectively reinforced a pattern visible across Democratic primaries this season: establishment candidates are holding their ground against progressive challengers, even as the ideological fault lines within the party remain sharp and unresolved heading into November’s midterms.
