Too far to the left? Radical Hong loses Wisconsin Democratic Governor Primary to moderate David Crowley

Is Francesca Hong the farthest left the Democratic Party can go? Her defeat—with some platform points too radical even for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)—which refrained from endorsing her at the national level, just as they did with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders—against the moderate David Crowley might suggest so.

However, the closeness of the result (39.8% for Crowley versus 39.4% for Hong) leaves room for interpretation. And quite a few point to the candidate's missteps and stumbles during the campaign as the ultimate cause of her defeat in a race that polls had her winning.

Abolish Thanksgiving

Beyond her specific extremist positions, such as her intention to abolish the Thanksgiving holiday, on which she has tried to avoid taking a stance during the campaign—though without renouncing the proposal—Hong has had difficulty answering complicated questions during the campaign, largely due to an attempt to hedge her bets with the more moderate Democratic electorate.

Furthermore, at no point has she shown any great depth of thought or initiative, appearing more to be merely riding the socialist wave sweeping through the Blue Party than presenting a solid and reliable option for citizens.

No support from prominent socialists

This has been reflected in the lack of official endorsements from the country's most prominent socialists, who did not hesitate to support radical candidates from outside the party—as in the case of Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan in the race for a Senate seat.

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

For his part, Crowley, 40, received a last-minute endorsement from outgoing Governor Tony Evers, who decided not to seek a third term. His victory comes after a particularly chaotic campaign within the Democratic Party. 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 Prior to that, Crowley had withdrawn on July 8 to endorse her, but then re-entered the race on July 18 with Evers' support; and former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes dropped out of the race on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.