A DSA governor? Francesca Hong tests whether socialism can win statewide in Wisconsin

After a string of victories in Democratic primaries across the country, socialists are setting their sights on one of their most ambitious targets yet: the Wisconsin governor’s mansion.

State Rep. Francesca Hong, a Madison lawmaker backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, has emerged as a leading contender in Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, giving the movement its first serious opportunity to nominate a socialist for governor in one of the nation’s premier battleground states.

Hong’s campaign comes as socialists and their allies ride an unprecedented wave of momentum. In recent weeks, DSA-backed candidates have won the Democratic mayoral primary in Washington, D.C., advanced to the mayoral runoff in Los Angeles, and claimed several congressional primary victories in New York with the backing of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Last week, DSA-backed Melat Kiros defeated longtime Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) in Colorado, one of the movement’s biggest congressional upsets to date.

The heightened attention has translated into organizational growth as well. The DSA announced this week that it has surpassed 120,000 members, calling itself the largest socialist organization in U.S. history.

“It’s a great day to be a democratic socialist,” Hong posted on X after the latest victories. “Wisconsin is next!”

Hong’s campaign represents a significant escalation for the movement. Most recent DSA wins have come in deep-blue congressional districts or heavily Democratic cities. Wisconsin presents a far different challenge, with razor-thin statewide elections often decided by a small number of swing voters. The state has long been one of the nation’s premier political battlegrounds, making the race an early test of whether socialism can expand beyond urban strongholds and compete statewide.

Yet, Hong’s candidacy is also something of a throwback for Wisconsin. In the early 20th century, the state was known for its progressive bent and was even the home of the largest state-level socialist party in the country. The first socialist member of the U.S. House of Representatives was elected from Wisconsin in 1910. Milwaukee, the state’s biggest city, had a socialist mayor as late as 1960.

Hong’s campaign argues Wisconsin’s economic concerns make it well-suited for her message despite its status as a perennial swing state.

“The issues at the heart of this campaign are issues impacting everyday working Americans: affordability, the cost of health care, the cost of housing, the cost of groceries,” campaign communications director Allison Geyer told the Washington Examiner. “Fran is such a relatable working-class candidate with a bold vision for transformative change. That’s why we’re seeing a broad coalition of support.”

Other Democrats seeking the nomination include former Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, and state Sen. Kelda Roys.

Public polling suggests Hong has become one of the Democratic primary’s leading candidates, though the race remains highly competitive. A Marquette University Law School poll conducted in March found Hong leading the field with 14% support among voters who named a candidate, ahead of Barnes at 11%, though 65% remained undecided. A more recent Wedgewood Polls/Isthmus Political Report survey showed Hong narrowly ahead with 30%, followed by Barnes at 28% and Rodriguez at 19%.

Hong also finished near the top of the Wisconsin Democratic Party convention straw poll earlier this month, another sign that her campaign has gained traction among Democratic activists.

Geyer said the campaign believes its message can also resonate with the suburban, independent, and rural voters who often determine statewide elections in Wisconsin.

“We lead with the policies and the ideas,” she said, arguing proposals such as raising the minimum wage and lowering costs are “extremely popular policies that folks want to see enacted.” She also pointed to the campaign’s rural outreach efforts, saying Wisconsin voters reward candidates who offer “a bold vision” rather than incremental change.

Hong, a former restaurant worker and single mother, has spoken openly about working as a dishwasher and line cook before entering politics. She’s centered her campaign on lowering costs, expanding protections for organized labor, and making housing and healthcare more affordable. Hong argues her working-class background allows her to connect with voters who have become disillusioned with traditional Democratic politics.

“We’re reaching people that many Democrats have failed to reach, and that’s working-class folks who don’t want their lives to be dictated by politics. They just want to get by and do well,” Hong told Jacobin, a print and online magazine that offers socialist, Marxist, and left-wing perspectives.

“People are tired of the status quo. They’re tired of corporate greed and life getting so unaffordable, and they’re ready to be represented by a working-class champion for working-class people,” she said.

Still, Hong’s candidacy has exposed ideological divisions inside the party and provided Republicans with early lines of attack.

Before running for governor, Hong embraced calls to defund and abolish police following the 2020 protests in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody. She has largely stood by those remarks and said earlier this year that “my perfect world would be a world without prisons,” according to audio obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Geyer said Hong has not backed away from those past statements and instead uses questions about them to explain what she views as a broader vision for public safety.

“She didn’t delete any tweets. She didn’t back down,” Geyer said. “It gives Fran the opportunity to talk about her vision for public safety in Wisconsin … moving resources to agencies that enact programs that actually reduce crime and increase public safety.”

Hong also recently apologized for calling the police in 2023 after viewing an image from an anti-Israel protest that some constituents believed was antisemitic. She later said the image circulating online had been misleadingly cropped and acknowledged that contacting law enforcement conflicted with her broader views on policing.

Geyer said the episode demonstrated Hong’s willingness to admit mistakes rather than retreat from difficult issues.

“She’s just such an honest and authentic person,” Geyer said. “She apologized for that. She said she made a mistake and learned from it.”

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Whoever wins the Aug. 11 Democratic primary is expected to face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.

For the DSA, the race has become more than a contest for the governor’s office. If Hong secures the Democratic nomination, the general election would become the movement’s biggest test yet of whether socialism can win statewide in one of the nation’s premier battlegrounds. Coming just days after the DSA announced record membership, Hong’s campaign is the movement’s clearest opportunity yet to prove its growing influence can extend beyond blue cities and safely Democratic congressional districts.