Darline Graham, Francesca Hong lead 2026 primary day
Darline Graham seeks Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat as Wisconsin Democrats weigh DSA candidate for gov
South Carolina Republicans choose a nominee to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, as his sister Darline Graham faces a crowded GOP field. In Wisconsin, Democrats decide whether to nominate state Rep. Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America member, for governor. Minnesota, Connecticut, Vermont and Alabama also hold contests offering an early look at the 2026 midterms.
Ex-sports reporter topples crowded field, gives GOP hope at flipping Minnesota
A political newcomer with the backing of national Republicans secured her place as the GOP nominee in Minnesota, setting up a long-shot battle in November to flip a state held by Democrats for nearly two decades.
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Ex-NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya toppled a crowded field of nine candidates to win the Republican nomination for Senate in Minnesota, besting familiar faces and an opponent armed with the endorsement of the state’s Republican Party.
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But her name identification and impressive campaign war chest, coupled with the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) appeared to give her the edge.
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And national Republicans are confident that she could win big in November.
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While Minnesota is not on the NRSC’s target map of eight battleground seats, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who chairs the committee, believed that Tafoya posed a serious contender to Democrats, who have held both Senate seats since 2009.
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“The one thing that gets me excited when I think about this election cycle on the map is Minnesota,” Scott told CNN. “I think Minnesota, we have a real shot with Michele Tafoya.”
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[–>Central Alabama voters choose their Republican contender amid redistricting battle
Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., won the Republican nomination to seek re-election in the Yellowhammer State’s sixth congressional district, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
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The district, hugging the outer reaches of Birmingham – the state’s largest city – arching around through Leeds and down Interstate 65 to Autauga County just outside the capital Montgomery – is considered by reports to also be the state’s wealthiest; likely due to its relatively suburban confines for a Deep South state.
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Palmer, who succeeded fellow Republican Rep. Spencer Bachus in 2014, has reliably won the district each time he has been up for re-election.
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Prior to that, the district saw mostly Democratic victories going back to Reconstruction.
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A redistricting court battle following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in nearby Louisiana sent voters in only certain districts back to the polls on Tuesday.
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Alabama is seeing several key elections this cycle, as Gov. Kay Ivey is term limited.
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Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is departing the Senate and setting up a rematch with former Sen. G. Doug Jones, D-Ala., for Ivey’s executive seat.
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The former Auburn football icon’s seat is also up for grabs in what is considered a Republican-leaning contest.
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[–>Keith Ellison wins primary election
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has won his primary election handedly, the Associated Press projects.
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Ellison, who became the state’s attorney general in 2019 after spending over a decade in Congress, has spent his career aligning himself with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
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During his time in the House of Representatives he served as the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. When he was first elected to the House in 2006, Elison became the first Muslim and the first African American to represent Minneapolis in Congress.
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Ellison secured the national spotlight in 2021 when he lead the state prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for George Floyd’s murder
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Republican critics have argued that Ellison’s approach to law enforcement has contributed to crime and blame the state’s fraud scandals partially on his leadership. Ellison and his allies, meanwhile, maintain that the state attorney general has only limited authority over street crime, with most offenses meant to be handled by local prosecutors.
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[–>Longtime anti-Trump Dem ousted by upstart progressive mayor
Fourteen-term Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., was defeated by Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin in Tuesday’s hard-fought primary race.
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Larson, who has served in Congress since the Clinton administration, faced three challengers: Bronin, state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest and Hartford Education Board member Ruth Fortune. The sprawling district includes Hartford, Glastonbury, Bristol and Windsor Locks.
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Larson has routinely hammered Musk and President Donald Trump during his tenure, notably filing more than a dozen articles of impeachment following the arrest and extraction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
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In that case, Larson accused Trump of piracy and other offenses as he faced a primary challenge from the younger Bronin.
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Bronin, who also served in the Obama administration, appeared to be gaining on incumbent Larson as the year went on. He ran as a candidate seeking generational change in a longtime Democratic seat.
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Top Republican clears path to a seventh term
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., won his primary election on Tuesday evening, paving the way for him to pick up a seventh term.
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Moments after securing the nomination, Emmer put out a statement expressing his gratitude to constituents.
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“Jacquie and I are blessed for the resounding support and trust of voters across the 6th district. Minnesotans know what is at stake in November — it’s an election of chaos vs common sense, communism vs freedom,” Emmer said.
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“As your Congressman, I’ll continue standing up for our shared conservative values, working alongside President Trump to combat fraud, lower the cost of living and advance our America First agenda. Thank you to all for your continued support!”
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Emmer, who is a key part of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., leadership team, beat out Republican challenger Mike Foley, a chemical engineer.
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Having cleared the primary, Emmer heads to the state’s general elections on Nov. 3.
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[–>Michael Goldstein wins Connecticut GOP primary, setting up rematch with longtime Dem Rep Jim Himes
Michael Goldstein won the Republican nomination in Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District on Tuesday, setting up a rematch with longtime Democratic Rep. Jim Himes in November.
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Goldstein, a physician and attorney from Greenwich, defeated Norwalk youth hockey coach Daniel Miressi after entering the primary as the Republican Party-endorsed candidate.
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Goldstein also carried the Republican banner in the district in 2024, when Himes defeated him with roughly 61% of the vote. Goldstein previously sought the GOP nomination in 2022 as well, but lost that year’s primary.
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Himes has represented the southwestern Connecticut district since 2009 and will now face Goldstein again as he seeks another term in Congress. Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District covers much of the state’s southwestern corner, including Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk and parts of Bridgeport.
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[–>GOP picks Rep. Brad Finstad in Tim Walz’s former congressional district
Republican voters in Minnesota chose incumbent Rep. Brad Finstad as their nominee Tuesday in the race for the state’s 1st Congressional District.
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The Republican primary featured Finstad and challengers Gregory Goetzman and Oliver Morlan.
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The 1st District is one of Minnesota’s two Republican-held House seats and covers a large swath of southern Minnesota, including Rochester and much of the state’s farm country.
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Before leaving Congress to become governor, Democrat Tim Walz represented the district.
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Finstad will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Alex Eaton and Jake Johnson.
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The Republican and Democratic nominees will compete in November to determine who will represent southern Minnesota in the U.S. House.
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The district has trended Republican in recent election cycles but has a history of electing candidates from both parties.
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Progressive congressman secures primary victory in Wisconsin
Rep. Mark Pocan has won the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.
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The congressman’s primary victory all but guarantees he will win another term in the House. Pocan won over 70% of his district’s vote in both 2022 and 2024.
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Pocan’s district is heavily Democratic, covering the state capital of Madison. To secure his nomination, Pocan defeated Douglas Alexander, widely regarded as a longshot candidate.
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During his tenure in Congress, Pocan has established himself as a progressive stalwart.
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He is chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and co-chairs both the Congressional Labor Caucus and Congressional Equality Caucus. Pocan is also a critic of Israel, supporting measures to block arms sales to the country, citing humanitarian concerns.
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As an openly gay member of Congress, LGBTQ rights have been a major part of his career.
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Pocan serves on the influential Appropriations and Foreign Affairs committees.
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Republican challenger calls for more clarity from Lindsey Graham’s sister as Senate race heads to ru
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a candidate for Senate in South Carolina, is calling on Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., to clarify her stances on a range of traditionally GOP issues as the two of them head to an election runoff in a race to fill the seat of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
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Darline, Graham’s sister, was appointed to fill his seat after he died in office last month.
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“I don’t know where she stands on a lot of issues. I think that’s where we’ll find out — where she stands on pro-life. Where does she stand on the death penalty? Where does she stand on spending?” Norman said.
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Norman, a top Republican in the House of Representatives, is calling for a debate sooner rather than later.
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“So, we’ll get into the debate, which I welcome the debate. My record is an open book.”
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He added that Republicans should present a united front against Democrats when the candidate is selected.
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“This is a time to come together, folks. We’ve gotta all coalesce, come together because we have got some socialist Democrats we have got to beat,” Norman said.
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Norman’s comments come as neither he nor Graham captured the needed 51% of the vote to secure the Republican nomination. The runoff is slated for Aug. 19.
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[–>Former Rep Jerry Carl wins Alabama GOP primary in bid for congressional comeback
Former Rep. Jerry Carl won the Republican nomination for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, putting the Trump-backed Republican one step closer to returning to Congress after losing his seat two years ago.
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He defeated Lucas Burger, John Mills and Austin Sidwell for the nomination.
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Carl previously represented the district for two terms from 2021 to 2025 before Alabama’s court-ordered congressional map forced him into a 2024 Republican primary against GOP Rep. Barry Moore. Moore, who is now running for U.S. Senate, prevailed in that incumbent-on-incumbent contest, ending Carl’s first stint in Congress.
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President Donald Trump endorsed Carl in June, calling him an “America First Patriot” and backing his bid to “once again” represent Alabama’s 1st District. Carl will face Democrat Clyde Jones in November.
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Tuesday’s special congressional primaries were held after another redistricting battle reshaped four of Alabama’s seven House districts ahead of the midterms.
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[–>Longtime senator, failed presidential candidate wins Dem nomination for Minnesota governor
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Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., has won the Democratic Party’s nomination for Minnesota governor.
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Klobuchar defeated a crowded field of little-known challengers, including a democratic socialist candidate.
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Her primary victory brings Klobuchar one step closer to succeeding Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who ended his re-election bid after widespread fraud was uncovered in the state’s social services programs.
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Since launching her campaign, Klobuchar has distanced herself from Walz’s handling of the fraud allegations, promising to conduct a top-to-bottom audit of taxpayer-funded programs on her first day in office.
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“I obviously am going to do things differently than Gov. Walz. We have different backgrounds. We’re going to have some different focuses,” Klobuchar said at a May campaign event.
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Klobuchar has remained in the Senate during her gubernatorial bid. Her term runs through January 2031, meaning she can retain her Senate seat even if she loses the governor’s race.
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[–>Small business owner wins GOP primary in newly redrawn district
Republican state representative Rhett Marques has won the GOP nomination in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
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Marques, a small business owner, defeated five opponents in his primary, including former Trump administration staffer David Matthews.
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The conservative state lawmaker is slated to run against Rep. Shomari Figures, a Democrat, in November.
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Though Alabama already held a primary election this year, the state held a special primary election on Tuesday after it moved to redraw its congressional maps following a Supreme Court decision that enabled the creation of more GOP-leaning seats. Under the new map, Marques has a better shot of flipping the seat than during previous cycles.
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After the Supreme Court first cleared the way for Alabama’s Republican-drawn map, Figures said it could return the state to the “1950s and 60s” in terms of Black representation.
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Marques, who aligned himself with President Donald Trump, drew controversy in 2025 when he backed an initiative to restrict certain state and local offices in Alabama to natural-born American citizens.
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[–>Trump-backed Republican advances in top GOP flip opportunity in battleground Wisconsin
Rep. Tom Tiffany is one step closer to capturing the governor’s mansion in battleground Wisconsin for the Republican Party.
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Tiffany, a hard-right member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who is backed by President Donald Trump, on Tuesday topped medical service technician Andy Manske to secure the Republican gubernatorial nomination, the Associated Press reported.
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Tiffany is expected to face off in the general election against far-left state Rep. Francesca Hong, who was likely to win the Democratic nomination for governor.
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The winner in November will succeed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who decided against seeking a third term in office. The race is a top gubernatorial flip opportunity for the GOP.
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Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is running on a platform that includes guaranteed paid leave, boosting the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 per hour, and a one-year moratorium in Wisconsin on building AI data centers. Hong has faced scrutiny over years-old social media posts calling for defunding and abolishing the police. But she says she no longer supports cutting police budgets or abolishing police departments.
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In a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of the primary, Tiffany said his state would be “the firewall… We’ll be the place that stops socialism.”
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[–>Navy SEAL, firefighter defeats Charlie Kirk ally in GOP primary for battleground seat
Connecticut voters selected Chris Shea on Tuesday as the Republican challenger to incumbent Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., in the Constitution State’s most competitive congressional district.
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Running from Danbury to North Canaan along the New York border, Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District has been in the GOP’s sights for years after two close but unsuccessful bids by former Republican nominee George Logan.
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If Republicans win the seat, it would be the first GOP-held congressional district in New England since Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine, lost to Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, in 2018.
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Shea, a retired Navy SEAL and firefighter, faced off with DeBarros, a vocal supporter of the late Charlie Kirk, in an at-times nasty primary. DeBarros sued a handful of Shea supporters for defamation over a criminal conviction from his teenage years in the 1990s.
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In a statement posted to his campaign’s social media page, Shea criticized DeBarros for focusing on him and his supporters rather than Hayes.
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“Connecticut Republicans have a real opportunity to compete for this congressional seat, but that opportunity depends on nominating a candidate capable of earning the confidence of not only Republicans but the broader electorate,” Shea said in a statement Thursday.
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Minnesota Republicans make the case for a ‘purple state’ ahead of 2026 showdowns
Minnesota Republican leaders are arguing that Republicans have a fighting chance to win top races in the state, saying that Minnesota is a “purple state.”
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The discourse comes as Republicans vie for the open governor’s race and a U.S. Senate seat.
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House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., pointed the 2024 presidential election map results as evidence that the state doesn’t necessarily lean blue.
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“In fact, if you look at the 2024 presidential heat map, it is overwhelmingly red,” Emmer said on NewsMax. “There is a blue dot essentially in the Twin Cities.”
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President Donald Trump lost the state to Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, capturing 46.7% compared to Harris’ 50.9%.
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Minnesota Republican state Rep. Kristin Robbins gives a more detailed breakdown of the state legislature to show that Democrats don’t have the stronghold perceived.
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“Our Senate is Democrat by one vote, and our House is tied,” Robbins said in an interview to Fox News Digital. “We are the definition of a purple state.”
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“We absolutely can get control of the governor’s office and flip the legislature because Minnesotans are fed up, and they know Democrats. If they are given another shot at the governor’s office and at the legislature, they will finish implementing all the DSA policies they didn’t get done last time they had the trifecta,” Robbins continued.
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Progressive Dems avoiding Hong endorsements because of ‘extreme Madison socialism’: GOP challenger
Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong is failing to accrue key progressive endorsements, Kayleigh McEnany reported on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” in a dynamic Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., attributes to Hong’s “extreme Madison socialism.”
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McEnany reported Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. have not endorsed her and outgoing Gov. Anthony Evers endorsed one of her challengers.
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“Abolish the prisons, abolish police, the highest income tax rates in the United States… she doesn’t even like Thanksgiving. We’re seeing these continual flip flops now as she has been exposed,” said Tiffany, who is expected to notch the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee.
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“I think this is part of the reason that you’re seeing Bernie, AOC and others; they will not endorse her. She’s proposing all of these things and there is a price tag to them. And the people in Wisconsin are going to find out what that price tag is for all these free things that she’s going to offer people across the state of Wisconsin. And even they know it will not add up at the end of the day,” Tiffany said.
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[–>Trump-ally Norman advances to GOP Senate runoff in race to succeed late Sen. Lindsey Graham
Rep. Ralph Norman has advanced to a runoff election in the special Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, the Associated Press reported, in the race to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
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With no candidate topping 50% of the vote, Norman will be joined by one other contender in the runoff in two weeks, in a primary field that included appointed Sen. Darlene Graham, the late senator’s sister, Rep. Russell Fry and former Gov. and former Rep. Mark Sanford.
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Tuesday’s primary was held one month to the day after the late longtime senator suddenly died at age 71.
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The nomination showdown is the latest test of President Donald Trump’s immense grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican primaries, as the president backed Graham.
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South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster last month appointed Graham to fill the remainder of the current Senate term, which concludes at the end of the year.
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[–>Polls close in Minnesota and Wisconsin
Polls are closing in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where voters are deciding a set of key races that have captured national attention.
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In both states, the country is watching to see if progressives will continue their hand of influence in the 2026 midterms.
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In Wisconsin, self-declared socialist Francesca Hong is running to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers with the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Evers, who has needled Hong over past controversial calls to defund the police and abolish the Senate, has endorsed her opponent, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
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In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is running to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn.
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Although she is not a DSA candidate, Flanagan has come under scrutiny from conservatives for promoting trans procedures for minors and for her record with the Walz administration’s handling of billions in fraud rings that have abused government partnerships.
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Flanagan is running against Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., a candidate who has pitched herself as a moderate with a bipartisan track record on rural development and infrastructure.
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FLASHBACK: Hong pulled race card when asked about lack of support from Democratic leadership
In a July podcast appearance, Francesca Hong claimed the lack of support she’s received from her party’s leadership could be due to her race.
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“What is it about you, Abdul El-Sayed, Mamdani, even though you all are crushing in the polls, that makes you an anathema to the current Democratic leadership and its donors?” podcaster Wajahat Ali asked Hong.
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“Mayor Mamdani and Dr. Sayed and I just all happen to be people of color,” Hong responded.
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Hong’s lead opponent in the primary, David Crowley, is African American. Mandela Barnes, who withdrew from the race in late July, is also Black.
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In the interview, Hong went on to compare herself to South African leader Nelson Mandela and to dismiss concerns about her electability.
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Hong has come under fire for comments she’s made about race in the past, including complaining about having “proximity to whiteness” due to her mixed-race son and suggesting that Thanksgiving should be cancelled due to its purportedly racist origins.
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Minnesota election turnout breaking records, officials say
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Midterm elections don’t typically get too much attention from voters, Fox News’ Rich Edson reported on Tuesday’s “Special Report,” adding that Minnesota appears to be an outlier.
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Edson told anchor Bret Baier that Secretary of State Steve Simon’s office reported 241,000 ballots by late Tuesday, which exceeded the 2022 midterm count by 90,000 ballots.
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The most visible race is the senatorial primary on the Democratic side between Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
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“The National Republican Senatorial Committee would be thrilled to see Peggy Flanagan win the Democratic nomination because its internal polling has the expected GOP nominee Michelle Tafoya within one point of Flanigan in a state where Republicans have lost the last two Senate races by five and 15 points,” Edson reported.
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Vermonters, Wisconsinites and Alabamians also go to the polls Tuesday, as in the latter case a key court’s redistricting ruling sent several of Alabama’s congressional districts back to the literal drawing board. Those districts are the only ones voting Tuesday.
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[–>Trump looms over blue state primary as progressive gov fends off far-left challenge
Connecticut Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont is no fan of President Donald Trump, but his progressive primary challenger, state Rep. Josh Elliott, says he’s too cozy with the president.
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Lamont defeated Elliott in a high-stakes New England primary Tuesday in a state that not long ago shifted from politically competitive to reliably Democratic.
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Elliott, D-Hamden, painted Lamont as too “nice” to Trump, saying that being “nice is a problem right now.”
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“Nice doesn’t solve affordability. Nice doesn’t solve fascism or fight back against fascism,” Elliott told the Connecticut Mirror.
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“[Ned] can be nice all day long, but that’s a liability right now.”
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Meanwhile, Lamont told the outlet that “talk is cheap” and said Elliott has little to offer compared with the incumbent’s record during his nearly eight years in office.
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Michele Tafoya: Minnesota is going ‘100 miles per hour in the wrong direction’
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Minnesota Republican senatorial candidate Michele Tafoya sounded off on her two potential opponents on Tuesday, saying that Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig are too far out of the mainstream for the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
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Tafoya, a former “NBC’s Football Night in America” sideline reporter, is favored to become the Republican nominee as Craig and Flanagan battle on the left Tuesday.
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“Every voter I talk to is angry because the state is traveling about 100 miles per hour in the wrong direction,” Tafoya told “The Ingraham Angle.”
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“And it’s because of career politicians like the two women you were just talking about that we just heard from. They have been in power for years now. And where has that left us? Embarrassed, $9 billion poorer thanks to that fraud. Crime rates up, test scores down. Why would anyone think that re-electing either of those women was the answer?”
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Host Laura Ingraham noted that Craig had backpedaled from her vote for the Laken Riley Act, and had told MSNOW’s Ali Velshi that she indeed regrets any vote she’s made that forwarded President Donald Trump’s immigration law enforcement agenda.
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“Are you going to have convictions or are you not?” Tafoya said in response.
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“Or are you just going to vote and then backpedal? And where does that take her next? I mean, if she’s going to cave to that, she’s already voted against the farm bill multiple times because you know what? They wanted to clean up fraud in the SNAP program. We know there is fraud in this SNAP Program…And here we are, an agriculturally based state,” added Tafoya.
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[–>Republican Gerald Malloy wins GOP primary in Vermont’s longshot single House district
Vermont’s single House district saw Republican nominee Gerald Malloy come out victorious in the GOP’s House primary fight in the state Tuesday evening.
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Malloy, a U.S. Army veteran and business executive with degrees from West Point, Temple and Georgetown, according to his public biographies, was fending off fellow GOP challenger Mark Coester by a significant margin when the race was called Tuesday night.
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The at-large House race is rated solidly Democratic by Cook Political Report, but Malloy will hope to defeat Democratic nominee Becca Balint in November, who won her uncontested primary.
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[–>Sister of late senator advances to runoff race after failing to secure a majority
Appointed Sen. Darline Graham has advanced to a runoff election in the special Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, the Associated Press reported, in the race to succeed her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
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With no candidate topping 50% of the vote, Graham will be joined by one other contender in the runoff in two weeks, in a primary field that included Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, and former Gov. and former Rep. Mark Sanford.
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Tuesday’s primary was held one month to the day after the late longtime senator suddenly died at age 71.
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The nomination showdown is the latest test of President Donald Trump‘s immense grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican primaries, as the president backed Graham.
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South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster last month appointed Graham to fill the remainder of the current Senate term, which concludes at the end of the year.
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Dem Wisconsin governor torches DSA candidate running against his handpicked successor
Outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers cast doubt at Francesca Hong and her election odds ahead of the state’s primary election on Tuesday evening.
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“I think she’s in a tough place,” Evers said.
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“She has spent her entire campaign dealing with what’s on Twitter, and I just find that’s not a good way to beat Tom Tiffany,” he added, referencing the presumptive Republican nominee.
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Evers, who has endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, is the most recent Democrat to needle Hong over some of her controversial positions online.
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In the past, Hong has called for the abolition of the Senate, defunding the police for reinforcing white supremacy and demanded Americans stop celebrating Thanksgiving. Those views have garnered criticisms even from the likes of David Axelrod, a political strategist and advisor to former President Barack Obama, who contrasted her with more “serious” candidates.
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Evers continued to give voice to those concerns on Tuesday.
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“She talked about Thanksgiving,” Evers said, referring to Hong’s recent media appearances. “Come on. This is about making sure the people of Wisconsin get what they need to be successful.”
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The winner of Tuesday’s primary will advance to the state’s general election on Nov.3.
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Francesca Hong’s colleague says voters shouldn’t buy her ‘backpedaling’
Barbara Dittrich, a Republican who serves alongside Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin State Assembly, is cautioning voters not to believe the socialist’s attempts to distance herself from past statements.
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“Trust me. I’ve served with her. All of her backpedaling is phony,” Dittrich posted to X on Monday night. “She is as radical as her original quotes. Go pull up all of the WisEye video coverage of committee hearings she’s in, like the Assembly Committee on Education.”
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Hong recently denied that she was opposed to Thanksgiving after social media posts resurfaced where she argued that the holiday should be cancelled due to its allegedly racist past. She has also come under fire for comments made about prison abolition and defunding law enforcement.
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“I was actually trying to become a sports journalist when I first went to college so I learned you sometimes have bad takes on Twitter,” Hong recently told Fox News Digital, explaining her past posing habits.
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[–>Polls close in Connecticut and Alabama
Polling stations closed at 8:00pm ET in Connecticut and Alabama.
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Connecticut voters are weighing several closely watched Democratic primaries, including Gov. Ned Lamont’s bid for a third term against progressive state Rep. Josh Elliott. Lamont, who has served as governor since 2019, is seeking to fend off the challenger from his left.
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Democratic Rep. John Larson is also fighting for his political future in Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District. The 78-year-old, 14-term incumbent faces former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest and attorney Ruth Fortune. Bronin won the party’s convention endorsement earlier this year while campaigning on generational change.
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Alabama, meanwhile, is holding special congressional primaries in four districts after a Supreme Court ruling prompted the state to return to a Republican-drawn congressional map.
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One of the most closely watched contests is in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, where six Republicans — including Trump-backed state Rep. Rhett Marques — are competing for the nomination to challenge Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in November.
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Glenn Youngkin campaigns with GOP in Wisconsin ahead of primary
Former Virginia governor and 2028 presidential contender Glenn Youngkin campaigned in Wisconsin ahead of the state’s Tuesday primary elections.
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“The heartland is ready to stand up for America,” Youngkin posted to X on Monday alongside a clip of him next to Rep. Tom Tiffany.
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Tiffany is the favorite to win the GOP nomination for governor in Wisconsin, facing off against long-shot candidate Andy Manske, a 27-year-old medical technician.
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“The congressman and I have known each other for awhile and I’m really excited about the fact that he’s not just running for governor, but he will be a common sense governor in Wisconsin,” Youngkin said while in Wisconsin. “And that’s what originally got us excited. And then, also for Wisconsin to be this representative election between common sense and leadership, to make Wisconsin great, and really crazy.”
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Amid speculation that he could make a run for the presidency in 2028, Youngkin launched a multimillion-dollar ad blitz targeting multiple battleground states touting President Donald Trump’s education agenda.
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Fox News Host shares special connection to Trump backed candidate in Wisconsin District 7
Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy shared that she has a special connection with Congressional candidate Michael Alfonso, who is running in her husband’s old district.
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Alfonso is her son-in-law, and he is the only candidate in Wisconsin’s 7th District to receive President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
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“I’m going to tell you a story about him that I think really speaks volumes about who he is,” Campos-Duffy said.
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Campos-Duffy said Alfonso and her oldest daughter, Evita, met in middle school and dated throughout high school and college. Alfonso proposed, and they planned to get married in the summer after Evita graduated from college.
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Campos-Duffy said she called her daughter and asked her to postpone the wedding until after the summer so they would have more time to plan the wedding. Campos-Duffy said Alfonso then called her and asked that they didn’t postpone the wedding.
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“I am not waiting one more second,” Campos-Duffy recounted Alfonso saying. “I’m going to make her my wife as soon as she graduates from college.”
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“I think that speaks volumes about Michael. It shows the kind of man he is, the kind of Christian values he has,” Campos-Duffy said. “Doesn’t just show how much he loved our daughter, but it shows that he also loved the institution of marriage and how much family and doing it the right way meant to him.”
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US Senate hopeful Angie Craig promises to ‘dismantle Trump’s ICE’ after pledging ‘not one penny’
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., called for dismantling President Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and promised not to fund his immigration system on the eve of Minnesota’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary, where she is widely viewed as the more moderate candidate.
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During a Monday night appearance on MS NOW’s “The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi,” Craig said she would “absolutely not provide any funding to Trump’s immigration system” and urged Democrats to “stand up and dismantle Trump’s ICE.”
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The comments build on a position Craig has sharpened throughout the year. In January, she said there was “no way in hell” she would support additional funding for Trump’s ICE operation and later voted against an appropriations package that included Department of Homeland Security funding. At the time, Craig said she would not give the administration “another penny” and argued that Congress should use its power of the purse to push back on Trump’s immigration policies.
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This stance on defunding ICE follows criticism Craig faced, including from her primary opponent, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, over her 2025 vote for the Laken Riley Act. The bill was a Trump-backed immigration law that expanded deportation of migrants accused of crimes.
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Craig later said she regretted the vote.
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Outgoing Dem governor makes prediction about Hong’s fate
Gov. Tony Evers told a local media outlet he would back socialist Francesca Hong if she wins Tuesday’s primary, but predicted Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, whom he endorsed, will defeat her.
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“She’s a Democrat, of course we’ll be helpful, but that’s not going to happen,” the Wisconsin governor told WISN 12 on Monday.
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“This guy is going to win,” Evers, who was seated next to Crowley, said.
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Crowley echoed Evers’ sentiment.
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“We have a duty. Our duty, no matter who is in this race, is ultimately to make sure that a Republican is not occupying the governor’s office, and so I will back whoever it is,” he said. “But I plan to be the nominee.”
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Evers said that the Milwaukee leader is a “great candidate” and that he wanted to “bring some people to the fore that will help him get across the finish line.”
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Ahead of Election Day, most polls showed Hong leading Crowley by double digits.
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Former House Speaker warns Dems are creating party of ‘amnesia’ with DSA candidates
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned voters on Tuesday evening not to forget the many eyebrow-raising details that have emerged about socialist candidates across the country, their positions and their pasts.
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He believes many of them are preparing to shift their tone to appeal to a broader base after the primaries.
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“Sometime in the last, I think, 60 days, it began to hit them that they are so radical that their big government socialism is so unacceptable and that their anti-American cultural values are so off-putting that they’re trying to invent what I’ve called the party of amnesia,” Gingrich said.
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His warning comes as DSA-backed Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong looks poised to become the latest progressive to capture a party nomination.
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Hong, who is running in a primary on Tuesday evening, has attracted criticism for calling for the abolition of the Senate, defunding the police for reinforcing white supremacy and demanding Americans stop celebrating Thanksgiving.
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On election day, Hong reversed her position on at least one of those, telling reporters she now supports Thanksgiving.
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Gingrich believes voters should be skeptical.
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“The new Democratic nominee from Wisconsin says that she loves Thanksgiving; she really wants us to have amnesia about her tweets where she said that Thanksgiving should be abolished because it was the beginning of genocide … And I think that’s a losing strategy,” he said.
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Socialist Democratic gubernatorial candidate said she’s not canceling Thanksgiving
Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race, told a reporter she “wasn’t canceling Thanksgiving” when asked what she thought voters might not know about her.
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“I’ve cooked many great Thanksgiving dinners, and I’m not going to cancel Thanksgiving,” Hong said with a smile.
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The remarks from Hong come in response to backlash she received over a deleted November 2020 X post, calling to cancel the holiday.
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“Cancel Thanksgiving,” Hong wrote. “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.”
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In light of the criticism, Hong has walked back her old social media post, saying that the holiday can be “incredibly painful for many people in our communities,” in an interview with Politico.
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Hong will be facing off David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive who has the backing of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
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[–>Polls close in Vermont and South Carolina
Polling stations closed at 7:00 p.m. in Vermont and South Carolina.
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Though South Carolina already held an initial primary election and a run-off in June, the state is holding a third 2026 primary following the surprise death of Sen. Lindsey Graham.
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Ten Republicans have thrown their hats into the Republican primary to succeed the late senator, including his sister, interim Sen. Darline Graham, former Gov. Mark Sanford as well as Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry.
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Democrats in Vermont, meanwhile, are tasked with choosing who they will nominate to challenge Gov. Phil Scott, a liberal Republican who has long occupied the state’s governor’s mansion.
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Vermont is also holding primary elections for lieutenant governor, state auditor and its at-large House district.
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Socialist Dem says she will follow Bernie Sander’s lead in first act as governor if elected
If elected, Francesca Hong, a socialist candidate for governor in Wisconsin, says she plans to enact the calls from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to freeze data center construction in the Badger State on her first day in office.
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“We want to make sure that we’re calling in a special session for the legislation on the moratorium of data centers,” Hong told reporters in an interview ahead of a primary election on Tuesday afternoon.
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Hong’s focus on data centers joins spreading fears among Democrats about how their use of water and electricity play into environmental concerns, coupled with dismal projections about how AI might disrupt workforces.
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Sanders noted that several progressives have joined his calls in a press release in March.
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“A few months ago, when I proposed a moratorium on AI datacenters, it was perceived as a radical, fringe and Luddite idea. Well, not anymore,” Sanders wrote.
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Hong, who is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), faces a primary on Tuesday evening where, if successful, she will advance her to the general election on Nov. 3.
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‘Potato sack’: Francesca Hong shows up to the polls wearing strange outfit
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong was photographed wearing a bright blue knee-length blazer over what appeared to be a pair of baggy black pants and a black shirt as she cast her vote in Tuesday’s primary election in Wisconsin.
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Hong was also seen wearing multiple friendship bracelets and a pair of black basketball shoes coupled with novelty socks.
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The socialist’s Election Day outfit drew some negative reactions from social media users.
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“She’s wearing a potato sack?” one user commented on X.
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“I’m going to need her to get some better fits. Respectfully,” another user said.
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Some, however, reacted more warmly to the gubernatorial hopeful’s odd manner of dress.
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“Since people are commenting on this look I am just gonna say she is kind of killing it,” one user wrote. “Every single article is an extremely odd choice but all put together it’s a solid outfit.”
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DOJ monitors polling sites in two Minnesota counties to ensure ‘ballot security’
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it is monitoring polling sites in two Minnesota counties during Tuesday’s primary election as part of an effort to “ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.”
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About 20 staff members from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota are monitoring polls in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, according to a DOJ news release.
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“Minnesota is DOJ’s next stop on its nationwide effort to ensure free and fair elections,” Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “The DOJ is committed to nondiscriminatory monitoring throughout the primary and general election seasons.”
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Wisconsin socialist running for governor called US an ‘abundance of suffering’ in resurfaced post
A socialist candidate for governor in Wisconsin with an extensive history of inflammatory online posts once described America as “an abundance of suffering,” Fox News Digital has found.
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“I want this country to stop being an abundance of suffering but a wealth of opportunity,” reads a Jan. 20, 2022 X post from Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, who is running in the Democratic Party’s primary election to become the state’s top official.
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“We can do this by providing equal rights to Black and Brown folks,” the post continues. “Elect more Black and Brown folks who won’t be racist obstructionists. We can all be better and do so much more.”
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This isn’t the first time the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate has faced scrutiny for past comments on social media that are especially critical of America and its institutions and ideals.
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This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca.
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South Carolina voters eye experience, name recognition in special Senate primary
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Voters in Tega Cay, South Carolina, are weighing experience, name recognition and President Trump’s endorsement in Tuesday’s special Republican Senate primary.
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Ten Republicans are competing to become the party’s nominee for the seat held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to The Associated Press.
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Some voters said the crowded race could head to a runoff, while one questioned Darline Graham’s lack of political experience.
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Gary Shive, a Trump supporter who voted for Ralph Norman, told Fox News he was frustrated by Trump’s endorsement of Graham.
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“I don’t like the way that she immediately got an endorsement from President Trump. I mean I’ve been a President Trump supporter. But the fact that he immediately came and basically endorsed her without any — there’s no background, no experience,” Shive said.
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Another voter pointed to Graham’s family name as an advantage.
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“I mean she has a real shot at it, obviously a Graham legacy,” Paul Loucas said. “I think Ralph Norman is a strong contender as well.”
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Fox News’ Chelsea Torres and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Wisconsin Democratic chair dodges on Hong’s Thanksgiving remarks
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Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Devin Remiker repeatedly dodged questions about Thanksgiving on Tuesday after state gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, reversed her statement about canceling the holiday.
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CNN host John Berman asked Remiker what his personal feelings were about Thanksgiving.
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“I love Thanksgiving,” Remiker said. “I even host a Friendsgiving every year, so I basically do Thanksgiving twice.”
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He then took a swipe at Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., saying Tiffany would have a difficult Thanksgiving after losing the governor’s race.
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Berman pressed Remiker on whether Hong’s past comments were a problem for Democrats. Remiker instead argued the controversy gave Democrats an opportunity to criticize Tiffany over the cost of the holiday.
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“I think it’s great that we have so many opportunities to talk about how Tom Tiffany is going to make Thanksgiving more expensive for Wisconsinites by driving up the cost of the groceries that it costs to make it, the cost of the gas that it takes to drive to your family’s place and gather under one roof to share in a great holiday. So, as many times as I get to hammer that point, I’m more than happy to do it,” Remiker responded.
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This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Hanna Panreck.
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Elizabeth Warren urges Minnesotans to ‘go vote’ in push for Peggy Flanagan
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren is urging Minnesotans to “go vote” while making an Election Day push for Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary.
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In a video shared to X on Tuesday, Warren called Flanagan “the fighter we need in Washington.”
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“Please, if you haven’t already voted, go vote,” Warren said. “Vote for Peggy Flanagan for the United States Senate. If you already voted, get some more people to vote. Today is really important.”
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Bernie Sanders backs Peggy Flanagan, targets ‘dark money’ spending
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Sen. Bernie Sanders is urging Minnesota voters to support Peggy Flanagan in Tuesday’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, while taking aim at what he called “dark money” spending in the race.
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“MINNESOTA: Today is Election Day,” Sanders wrote on X. “Dark money groups are spending $20 million to defeat Peggy Flanagan in the most expensive primary election in MN history.”
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He added, “This election is about the people vs. the money. I encourage all Minnesotans to support Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate.”
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Top Obama ally reveals which far-left candidate needs to lose to help progressives win
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David Axelrod, one of the architects behind President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, believes other progressives might stand a better chance of getting elected if, in his view, one of their more unserious candidates loses an upcoming primary.
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“It would be good for Abdul El-Sayed if Francesca Hong loses her bid to become the Democratic nominee in Wisconsin next week,” Axelrod wrote in a post to X.
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“He is a serious person. She is a font of zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica. But the [Republicans] … would surely try to link Abdul and Hong as philosophical kin.”
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Axelrod’s comments seem to indicate that despite their recent success in the 2026 midterms, not all progressives are viewed equally across the party — that some of them are seen as political liabilities even among themselves.
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“This tweet is a perfect example of why the consultant class keeps losing elections. They’re totally clueless, and they’re hellbent on keeping working-class people out of politics,” Hong wrote about Axelrod’s X post. “I’ve spent more time in kitchens than faculty lounges. Perhaps you’d like to come to Wisconsin and work a Friday night dinner rush with me?”
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This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno.
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Ex-sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya pitches herself as change candidate in Minnesota Senate race
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Michele Tafoya, who spent decades as a sports broadcaster, told Fox News Digital she jumped into the Republican Senate primary in Minnesota to offer voters a change from the status quo.
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In an interview after casting her ballot Tuesday, Tafoya said Minnesotans “are ready” to elect a GOP senator for the first time since 2002 because there’s been a “crisis of leadership.”
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“We’ve seen what career politicians have done in this state. They’ve brought us to a place of national embarrassment and this state is ready for change,” she said. “We’re going to bring it to them. We have the courage to do that. We have the common sense to do that.”
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Tafoya also discussed fraud cases involving Minnesota state programs, saying the issue is top of mind for voters.
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“I know it plays on their minds every single day, not only the fact that they were stolen from but the fact that no one has really been held accountable in the government. No one has been fired, no one has stepped down, so people are wanting accountability and that’s what we’re promising. People are ready for that.”
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Tafoya is facing off against eight other candidates in the GOP primary, including former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, who has the Minnesota GOP’s endorsement; and former professional basketball player Royce White.
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Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report
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Minnesota accepts record-setting 206,000 absentee and mail ballots ahead of Tuesday primary
Local election officials in Minnesota have accepted 206,196 absentee and mail ballots ahead of Tuesday’s primary, a record for a non-presidential election year, according to the Minnesota secretary of state’s office.
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Of the ballots cast early, 99,053 were returned by mail and 107,143 ballots were submitted in-person, the secretary of state’s office said.
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As of Monday, about 213,000 ballots had not been returned. The deadline for them to be returned is 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
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Amy Klobuchar running on anti-fraud platform, drawing contrast with outgoing Minnesota Gov Tim Walz
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who is running for Minnesota governor, is focusing part of her campaign platform on rooting out fraud in the state government.
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Klobuchar has previously said she would govern differently from Tim Walz, who became a central target of Republican criticism over fraud after the Feeding Our Future scandal and other cases involving alleged misuse of public funds in Minnesota.
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“You are right to be angry about the fraud. It is unacceptable and it must end,” Klobuchar said in a speech in May. “On day one, I will begin a top to bottom audit of our state government. That audit will look at state agencies to look at waste, fraud and abuse.”
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According to her platform, Klobuchar will also establish a “Do Not Pay” database that will “automatically block any individual or contractor convicted of fraud” from receiving grant payments or government contract dollars.
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She also committed to increasing the regularity of unannounced inspections of providers who are receiving state funds.
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Modernizing the technology the state government uses to catch fraud is another priority of hers.
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Klobuchar, who is leaving the U.S. Senate to seek the governor’s mansion, is seen as the favorite to win the Democratic primary and would likely face the winner of a five-way Republican primary.
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The GOP field includes MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth and former healthcare executive Kendall Qualls.
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Darline Graham says she’s the affordability candidate, denies being ‘handed’ the Senate seat
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Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., addressed reporters outside her local polling place after voting Tuesday morning, telling them she plans to tackle affordability if she is elected to the U.S. Senate.
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In response to a question about what issue she is passionate about outside the agendas held by President Donald Trump and her late brother, Graham said she viewed the rising cost of health care as “extremely important.”
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“I will work with anybody to get things passed for South Carolina to help South Carolinians. I will not compromise my conservative values,” she said.
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She also batted away a question from a reporter about the Senate seat supposedly being “handed” to her. Graham was chosen to finish out the remainder of her brother’s term by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican.
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“I don’t see it that way. I’m not being handed this seat. I realize that I have to earn voters, so I’m working really hard to do that. Like I said, I want to spend the next two weeks getting out to as many places as I can,” Graham said.
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Throughout her brief remarks, Graham made it clear that she believes there will be a runoff on Aug. 25 and that she will be one of the candidates who advance.
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She also addressed the fact that it has been a month since the death of Lindsey Graham, who had served in the Senate since 2003.
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“It was a little different seeing my name on the ballot. And it’s a really special day. Y’all know that unfortunately, today’s the 11th. It’s been one month since Lindsey’s passing, so it’s an emotional day, but yet an exciting day,” she said.
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“My daughter, this is her first time voting,” Graham said as she gestured over to her daughter, who was standing near her at the podium. “Her first time voting she gets to vote for her mother.”
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South Carolina US Senate primary: Candidates, stakes and what to watch
Among Tuesday’s marquee races is the special election for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, a contest to fill the seat of the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.
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Exactly a month after Lindsey Graham’s death from an aortic dissection on July 11, the crowded field of 10 candidates will compete for the Republican nomination for a six-year term in the Senate.
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Sen. Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister, announced her candidacy on July 20, one week after taking over her brother’s seat for the remainder of his term.
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After winning President Donald Trump’s endorsement, Graham has sought to establish herself as aligned with the administration on key priorities, including passing the SAVE Act.
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Multiple candidates in the race, including Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., have said they are open to eliminating the Senate filibuster, a move that could make it easier to advance more of Trump’s agenda. Critics have said this would carry political and institutional risks.
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Because of the large number of candidates, it is possible that no one receives an outright majority, which would trigger a runoff between the top two vote-getters on Aug. 25.
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On Aug. 8, nine of the ten candidates participated in the final stump event for the election in Florence County, where they explained their policies and priorities to voters.
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EXPLAINER: Alabama’s unusual special primary election, triggered by landmark Supreme Court ruling
Alabama is holding an unusual special primary election Tuesday in four congressional districts that were substantially redrawn after the Supreme Court’s landmark April ruling weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.
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The U.S. House primaries in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th districts were postponed from Alabama’s regular May primary after the justices cleared the way for the state to use a Republican-drawn congressional map for the 2026 elections.
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Republican Gov. Kay Ivey postponed the primaries for those districts because the Republican-drawn map, proposed by state lawmakers in 2023, changed their boundaries too close to Election Day.
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In the 2nd District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures is running for a second term, the Black population will be reduced from half the population to 40% under the new lines.
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In the 7th District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell is running for a ninth term, the Black population will continue to be in the slight majority.
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Alabama’s U.S. House members will serve their current districts through the end of 2026. Candidates in Tuesday’s primaries are running to represent the newly drawn districts, which take effect in January 2027.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Minnesota GOP state representative says Republicans need to win statewide to prevent DSA policies
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Minnesota GOP state Rep. Kristin Robbins told Fox News Digital in an interview ahead of the state’s Tuesday primary elections that a Republican victory statewide is what’s needed to prevent the adoption of DSA-style policies.
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She said voters know “that if [Democrats] are given another shot at the governor’s office and at the legislature they will finish implementing all the DSA policies they didn’t get done the last time they had the trifecta. They want Republican control to be the backstop here in Minnesota on socialism.”
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Robbins pointed to a Democratic proposal this year to add a fifth tier to Minnesota’s four-tier income tax structure. If it had passed, it would have imposed a 10.85% tax rate on income above $1 million for married couples filing jointly and above $600,000 for single filers.
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Robbins characterized this as “the first wealth tax in the nation” and said it was a ploy to “solve the deficit that Tim Walz created.”
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“Our senate is Democrat by one vote and our house is tied. We are the definition of a purple state,” Robbins said. “We absolutely can get control of the governor’s office and flip the legislature because Minnesotans are fed up.”
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Robbins said that although DSA ideas are not catching on with the people she talks to in the suburbs of Minnesota, urban areas are more open to them.
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“In the urban core where the socialists, the DSA has a foothold, that is what they want. They talk openly about no borders, no incarceration, closing down the prisons,” she said. “That’s…a message that’s not resonating well across the state.”
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Fox News Digital’s Andrew Miller contributed to this report.
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Hong’s supporters are confident she’s the answer to affordability ahead of Wisconsin primary
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MADISON, Wis. – Supporters of Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor Francesca Hong expressed confidence ahead of Tuesday that the far-left progressive and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) can win the Democratic gubernatorial primary on a platform centered on economic relief.
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“She’s speaking to working-class issues. Everybody’s struggling right now. The price of gas is insane. Trying to pay for your groceries is insane, trying to pay your rent is insane,” campaign canvasser Josiah Wampfler told Fox News Digital at Hong’s campaign headquarters in Madison. “We’re all struggling, and she’s presenting solutions to bring down prices and to have improved government programs.”
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The affordability crisis has plagued many Americans amid rising costs of groceries, housing and healthcare. The House passed legislation — showing a rare display of bipartisanship earlier this year with a 390-9 vote — to deliver policies aimed at growing the supply of affordable housing in the U.S.
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Wisconsin DSA gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong: ‘We need a united party’
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Francesca Hong, who is running to be to be the next governor of Wisconsin, suggested to reporters Tuesday that the party needs to coalesce around whoever emerges as the winner of the Democratic primary tonight.
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“We need a united party. We are ready to unite not just the party, but working class people all across the state to defeat Tom Tiffany in November,” Hong said during a press gaggle. “The Democratic Party, we are a big-tent party, and there’s always room for better policies and always room for more people.”
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U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wisc., is considered the favorite to win the Republican gubernatorial primary after receiving President Donald Trump’s endorsement in January.
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Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America member and a current state representative, slammed Tiffany for being an “election denier,” among other things.
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“What’s extreme is that he has voted to help raise gas prices and make life harder for Wisconsinites,” she said about Tiffany.
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Hong’s main proposals include guaranteed paid leave, boosting the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 per hour, and a one-year moratorium in Wisconsin on building AI data centers.
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“I think our policies are ones that are the solutions to deliver for working class people. Permanent affordability so we don’t come back to moments like these,” she said Tuesday.
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She has faced scrutiny over years-old social media posts calling for defunding and abolishing the police, ideas she now says she does not support.
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Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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Original source: https://www.foxnews.com/
Shivani Rawat
Shivani Rawat is a content writer with 7 years of experience creating helpful, reader-friendly articles for Geeksscan.com. She covers travel, business, technology, cars, and finance, focusing on simple explanations and practical tips. Shivani completed her graduation from Delhi University and now writes to make complex topics easy for everyone.
