Crowley Edges Hong in Wisconsin Primary

Hong has tried to soften those earlier remarks. Ahead of the primary, she told CBS News, “I’ve cooked many great Thanksgiving dinners,” adding that she was “not going to cancel Thanksgiving.” Still, the comments gave ammunition to critics in both parties who argued her views could become a liability in November. Former Obama adviser David Axelrod publicly mocked her style on X, while Hong fired back by accusing the consultant class of misunderstanding working-class politics and suggesting he come work a Friday night dinner rush with her.

Crowley, for his part, framed the race as a choice between moderation and a far-left turn. According to The Wall Street Journal, he told reporters Monday that “there are a lot of people who are scared,” and said Hong’s self-described socialism worried voters about where the party and the country were headed. Evers also took aim at Hong in the days before the primary, criticizing her for spending too much time “talking on Twitter and all these other extraneous issues.” In an interview with Politico on Friday, Evers declined to commit to backing Hong if she won, saying he wanted time to think and adding, “But I anticipate that David will win.”

The race had already shifted once before. Former Wisconsin lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes had led the Democratic field earlier in the year before dropping out late last month after reports that state party leaders were investigating allegations of concerning behavior toward women. Barnes denied wrongdoing. His exit helped clear the way for Hong’s rise, but it also reset the race and gave Crowley room to rally late. The Wisconsin gubernatorial primary now leaves Democrats with a nominee whose path to November is likely to draw close scrutiny from voters who want stability, not another round of party infighting. For Wisconsin and for national Democrats, the result is a reminder that primary momentum can vanish fast when a race turns from activist enthusiasm to general-election reality.