Overview
- Multiple polls show Hong leading the Democratic primary by double digits, with State Navigate polling in the mid‑40s and Marquette putting her at about 38 percent, positioning her as the front‑runner going into the Aug. 11 primary.
- Screenshots of X posts from 2019–2020, including a Nov. 16, 2020 line calling to “Cancel Thanksgiving,” have been widely circulated this week and provoked national attention from outlets, commentators, and opponents.
- Hong has sought to walk back and contextualize some past remarks, telling reporters she loves Thanksgiving and that prior posts were jokes or aspirational comments, while stopping short of fully retracting all earlier positions.
- Gov. Tony Evers and other establishment Democrats are publicly backing Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as an alternative, arguing Hong’s rhetoric raises electability concerns in a swing state, and Republicans are amplifying her past statements to define the fall matchup.
- The primary will test whether a democratic‑socialist nominee with strong youth turnout and agenda‑setting policy proposals can both win the nomination and withstand fall attacks in a deeply competitive Wisconsin general election.