Francesca Hong has turned Wisconsin politics upside down. 17Hong was born on November 4, 1988, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Korean American immigrant parents. She attended public schools in Madison, graduating from Madison West High School in 2007, then attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she studied Spanish and journalism. 17She became the first Asian American state legislator in Wisconsin history.
The Front-Runner
Once a long shot, Hong now leads the pack. 18Hong, a democratic socialist state lawmaker once seen as a long-shot candidate,
is now the front-runner in the Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin. 16The August 11 primary will determine which Democrat challenges Republican Tom Tiffany in November. Hong, a 37-year-old chef and bartender, is the frontrunner.
Her Movement and Message
Hong’s brand is unmistakably progressive. 15Supporters see her as part of the same wave that elected Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York and Analilia Mejia to Congress from New Jersey,
and helped other democratic socialist candidates win primaries in New York,
California and Colorado. Her platform is expansive: 22“We can make better possible when there are universal policies that support working class people — universal child care, guaranteed paid leave, fully funded public schools,
access to capital for small businesses and investing heavily in a care infrastructure,” Hong said.
Electability Concerns
Not everyone in the party is comfortable. 19The Democratic gubernatorial front-runner has backed away from some of her past controversial positions — but not her left-wing brand — as she faces electability concerns.
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