MADISON, Wis. — Seven days after progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly edged out moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in battleground Michigan‘s Democratic Senate primary, state Rep. Francesca Hong was upset Tuesday in her bid to capture the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in neighboring Wisconsin.
The primary was closely watched as a high-stakes test of whether battleground Democrats favored the party’s progressive wing or its establishment ahead of November’s general election.
Hong, a state lawmaker from Madison and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), was defeated by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who topped her by a razor-thin margin after polling had showed her with a seemingly large lead.
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In the wake of the close contest, Wisconsin Democratic voters expressed lingering concerns over the rising progressive’s “electability,” leading many to line up behind Crowley instead.
“I would’ve liked to have voted for her, but I wasn’t sure she would win, so I voted for Crowley,” Linda Pullman, a Madison native, told Fox News Digital hours after election results came in, adding that many local Democrats felt the same way.
“That actually is sad. I did want her to win,” said Elise, a Madison college student who said she was disappointed.
Crowley was backed by retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, with both warning that nominating Hong could jeopardize Democratic control of the governor’s mansion in November.
Hong’s far-left views, and clumsy efforts to backtrack off extreme past positions like wanting to abolish the U.S. Senate and cancel Thanksgiving, made her a potential liability in an election in Wisconsin, a perennial swing state.
“I think it was just consolidation. At the very end, that’s when a lot of people make up their minds,” Madison resident Jonathan Greenberg told Fox News Digital. “Evers endorsed her opponent. I think a lot of people got cold feet, worried about whether she could play up north, and they were just a little bit more centrist than people a bit to the left.”
Crowley will now face off in November against Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany, a House Freedom Caucus member backed by President Donald Trump. The race is considered one of the GOP’s top flip opportunities nationwide.
Voters who backed Crowley cited fears over how Hong would fare against Tiffany statewide.
“I thought he could beat Tiffany,” a Crowley voter named Joshua told Fox News Digital.
Tim, another Crowley voter, said he remained “undecided for quite a while” before casting his ballot.
“Seeing Hong was not doing so well against Tom Tiffany — who I think would be very devastating to the state — [factory-set my decision],” Tim said. “Can a progressive ever win? Yeah. Do I think right now is the time? Not necessarily.”
Other voters pointed to Hong’s past controversial positions, including previous comments regarding defunding the police.
“She appealed to some people, and he appealed to being more moderate,” said Crowley supporter Natalie McFadden. “Some of the things that she said … even if she doesn’t really believe it now, like defunding the police … I don’t think [swing voters] will vote for that.”
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Even some who cast their ballots for Hong admitted to lingering anxiety over her baggage.
“I was definitely worried that some of the things she said in the past would come back to get her,” said Aaron, who voted for Hong despite his concerns over her electability.
Hong, a 37-year-old former chef and single mother, drew endorsements from nationally known progressives, including Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ro Khanna of California. However, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., notably declined to endorse her last week, stating he was not familiar enough with her campaign or the state race.
