AOC urges voters to judge Francesca Hong now

Hong has not always tried to distance herself from those older statements. When CNN asked last week whether she still wanted to cancel Thanksgiving, she said the holiday is “also a time that’s incredibly painful for many people in our communities.” After the reaction to that answer, she issued a statement saying she is not seeking to end the holiday. That sequence has only sharpened the contrast between her earlier rhetoric and the campaign message now being presented to primary voters.

Ocasio-Cortez stopped short of endorsing Hong. She said she had not backed anyone in the race and explained that her main focus is on trying to win back the House and strengthen Democrats’ chances in the Senate. Her comments came around the same time Sen. Bernie Sanders also signaled that he did not plan to endorse in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary.

The fight over Hong reflects a broader tension inside the Democratic coalition over how much weight to give to past activist language versus a candidate’s current pitch. For Republicans, her old statements offer ready-made attacks in a race that could shape Wisconsin’s political direction. For Democrats, the race raises a familiar question about whether voters will reward a sharp break from activist politics or see old statements as disqualifying. The Wisconsin gubernatorial primary is set for Aug. 11, and the result will show whether Hong’s present message or her past record carries more weight with voters.