Too close to call: Socialist Francesca Hong stunned by County Executive David Crowley in tight Wisconsin primary

Socialist Francesca Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, found itself in a much closer race than expected against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in the Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin.

With 91% of the votes counted, Crowley is in the lead with 295,052 votes (40.0%), just ahead of Hong, with 292,206 votes (39.6%), according to AP estimates. Far behind were Kelda Roys (7.6%), Joel Brennan (4.7%), Sara Rodríguez (4.0%), Mandela Barnes (3.8%), and Missy Hughes (0.4%).

Hong, a 37-year-old state representative and part-time bartender who previously sparked controversy by calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving,, went into election day as the favorite according to the polls and with the backing of the Democratic Party's most left-wing faction.

Her platform, one of the most radical in the country, includes the legalization of marijuana to fund broadband internet, a state development bank, subsidized child care, and government-run supermarkets (emulating Mamdani's proposal in New York), the elimination of student debt, Medicare for All, a 32-hour workweek with no pay cuts, the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the reduction of prisons and police forces.

Crowley, 40, received a last-minute endorsement from outgoing Governor Tony Evers, who decided not to seek a third term. The close result comes after a particularly chaotic race within the Democratic Party, as Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodríguez withdrew her candidacy on July 17 amid questions about her campaign's financial management. Prior to that, Crowley had withdrawn on July 8 to endorse her, but then re-entered the race on July 18 with Evers' support; and former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes dropped out of the race on July 30.

The result in Wisconsin comes just a week after leftist Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, another sign of the rise of more radical positions within the party. However, the narrow margins in both states suggest that a significant portion of the Democratic electorate continues to favor a more centrist profile ahead of the November midterm elections.

The winner of this race will face off against Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany in a state that in 2024 produced the nation's closest presidential race.

This is a developing story. The information will be updated as the vote count progresses.