David Axelrod is weighing in on the Wisconsin primary, and the message from the longtime Barack Obama strategist is that one progressive candidate would be better off if another one loses. In a post on X, Axelrod said it would help Abdul El-Sayed if Francesca Hong fails to win the Democratic nomination for governor next week.
Axelrod called El-Sayed a serious figure and described Hong as a source of what he framed as outlandish liberal ideas. He also argued that Republicans would likely try to tie the two together ideologically if Hong won. Hong quickly pushed back, saying the comment reflected the same consultant mindset she believes has kept working-class people out of politics. She said she has spent more time in kitchens than faculty lounges and challenged Axelrod to come to Wisconsin and work a Friday night dinner rush with her.
The exchange lands in the middle of a competitive Wisconsin governor’s race that has already shifted in recent weeks. Hong, a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, is running as a self-described democratic socialist with backing from the Democratic Socialists of America. Her platform includes universal childcare, a $20 minimum wage, support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, state-issued identification for noncitizens, publicly run grocery stores and opposition to continued U.S. support for Israel.
Hong has also drawn attention for remarks on social and cultural issues that have stirred criticism. Those resurfaced comments include a call to cancel Thanksgiving over the history of smallpox during the colonial era, a push to defund the police because of their role in reinforcing White supremacy, and a call to abolish the Senate after the chamber voted to acquit President Trump in 2021. She has tried to push back on some of those comments while still making clear she is not running as a moderate. In an interview with NOTUS last week, she said she is a proud democratic socialist and is focused on policies that improve lives.
Hong’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment on Axelrod’s remarks or on whether she believes Republicans would use her positions against other progressives. At the start of the race, she was seen as a long shot. The contest changed last month when Mandela Barnes, the former lieutenant governor, left the race. Barnes had been viewed as a frontrunner because of his ties to outgoing Gov. Tony Evers and his name recognition.
