David Crowley Defeats Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong In Wisconsin Gubernatorial Primary

MILWAUKEE, Wis.—A candidate aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America has been defeated in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary, marking a major upset in a race the candidate had been expected to win. 

At 3:34 a.m. ET on Aug. 12, the Associated Press called the race for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who beat state Rep. Francesca Hong by the thinnest of margins, 39.8 percent to Hong’s 39.4 percent.

Hong’s defeat by a hair comes as a major political upset given that she had dominated polling for weeks over the late-entering Crowley, who only announced his run on July 18.

Crowley’s unexpectedly strong performance, coming alongside a firm endorsement and campaign support by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers in the final lap of the race, underscores that the ongoing battle between moderates and the far left flank of the party is far from settled, even as democratic socialist candidates have enjoyed a series of wins in other Democratic races.

Given that Hong lost by less than one percent, she is entitled to request a recount.

Democrats ultimately rejected Hong amid concerns from within the party that past remarks—including a post calling to “Cancel Thanksgiving”—could raise significant challenges in the general election. 

General Election Match-Up

Crowley is now set to take on Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), who easily won the Republican nomination, in November. 

National attention has remained centered on the politically critical swing state, which voted for both President Donald Trump and Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in 2024.

Tiffany, who had been gearing up for a fight with Hong, had described the race as a referendum on democratic socialism, saying that he believed the race poses the question, “Is the American heartland going to be the firewall that stops this movement of socialism coming from—especially—the East Coast?”

With Hong’s defeat from within the Democratic Party, Tiffany’s campaign will now have to rapidly switch gears to run a race against a candidate who’s seen by many as stronger than Hong in a general election match-up.

In his endorsement of Crowley, Evers wrote, “He’s not just a candidate who can win in November, but he’s the kind of person who cares about doing the job right, he has the experience to make tough decisions, and he’s the only person in this race who’s proven he can work together with others to get good things done.”

Tiffany had previously discouraged Republicans from voting in the Democratic primary to boost Hong’s chances.

An Unexpected Nail-Biter

Crowley’s watch party in Milwaukee was sparsely attended and relatively small compared to other such events. A sense of resignation hung over the attendees, aware that they were at a party being held by a candidate that polls said was fated to lose—even as Crowley insisted that he could achieve an upset. 

“It just feels like she came out of nowhere,” one attendee told another at the party, reflecting the despondency and bewilderment many felt toward Hong’s apparent dominance.

That energy began to shift as Crowley, a moderate, defied expectations in the all-important Dane County, home to Hong’s stronghold of Madison. While Hong led in the county, Crowley trailed closely behind. 

Journalists could be heard whispering in shock, while attendees grew more excited, as it became clear that Crowley was holding his lead, with attention focusing on the returns in Dane County. 

Later in the evening, Hong gave a speech vowing to continue fighting until the final results came in, while also adopting a retrospective tone in her remarks.

“We are here tonight because thousands and thousands of Wisconsinites across this great state came together in living rooms, in bars, in church basements, in community centers, and we came together to demand something new, and something better,” Hong told her supporters in a late night speech at her Madison headquarters.

By this point, attendees at the Milwaukee watch party had almost all filed into the event space, displaying a mix of satisfaction—and relief—as the tide turned in Crowley’s favor.

Chants of “David, David!” and “Crowley, Crowley” erupted several times.

Last-Minute Momentum

Crowley had been pitted as a last-minute alternative to Hong—one that even local Democrats doubted could win the nomination.

At the Milwaukee County Democratic Headquarters, Hong’s impending victory was seen as practically a given. 

“Too little, too late,” Dale Nook, the team leader for the Bayview Wisconsin Democrats, told The Epoch Times just hours before Crowley’s upset victory, expressing the common sentiment toward Crowley’s late entry into the race. 

“At first he wasn’t going to weigh in at all,” Nook said, expressing some bewilderment about Crowley’s decision to jump in the primary.

Even in Crowley’s home turf of Milwaukee, signs favoring Hong dominated the suburbs.

In the final days of the race, Crowley clinched several high-profile endorsements from figures who emphasized Crowley’s experience and electability.

Aside from Evers, these included Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

Hong, meanwhile, faced escalating issues related to past statements she had made on X, called Twitter at the time.

In one 2020 post, Hong wrote, “Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621. If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed Indigenous folx and women so be it.”

Recently, Hong has distanced herself from those posts, describing them as having been driven by her frustrations as a student and business owner during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, she told Politico that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday.