Overview
- Hong was pressed backstage after a Marquette University debate on Tuesday, July 29, and repeatedly declined to directly say whether she still supports abolishing the police.
- On camera she instead criticized current criminal justice spending, called for investing in prevention and reentry programs, and said she would be a governor serious about public safety while building 'systems of care.'
- Her campaign says abolition remains an aspirational value but that Hong has changed how she talks about the issue and will not support cuts to police funding.
- A Marquette Law School poll released the same day showed Hong leading the Democratic primary at about 38 percent with the primary set for August 11.
- Reporting from state filings shows the Republican Governors Association has spent roughly $3.6 million on ads targeting Hong, a tactic designed to weaken her standing before the primary and shape November messaging.