Renee Olstead is serving as a deputy campaign manager on Francesca Hong’s Wisconsin governor bid ahead of next week’s Democratic primary.
Renee Olstead, the former child actress and OnlyFans model who also goes by Renee Faust, has taken a senior role on Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong’s gubernatorial campaign ahead of next week’s Democratic primary. The Renee Olstead campaign role has drawn fresh attention to Hong’s bid as she competes for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Olstead is serving as Hong’s deputy campaign manager, according to The Heartland Post. The outlet reported that she has worked as a paid campaign operative since at least January. Her X profile says “HONG 4 GOV” and points users to Hong’s get-out-the-vote page. Photos on her social media show her at campaign events, and the report said she has helped handle logistics for major surrogates, including streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker.
Hong’s campaign did not answer every question raised about Olstead’s title, duties, compensation, or qualifications. In a statement, the campaign said, “Renee Faust is a licensed mental health clinician who has spent her career providing care to trafficking survivors.” It also said that since joining the campaign in December, Faust has helped build what it described as the largest grassroots campaign in Wisconsin history. The campaign added that critics were “right-wing politicians” who want government to control women’s health care decisions.
“Renee Olstead is serving as a deputy campaign manager on Francesca Hong’s Wisconsin governor bid ahead of next week’s Democratic primary.”
Olstead has also been active in advocacy around sex work. She founded the Coalition for American Sex Workers, known as CASW – LOCAL 304, which pushes for decriminalization and other policy changes affecting sex workers. Last year, Hong and three other state representatives gave Olstead an official Wisconsin State Assembly citation recognizing her work on sex workers’ rights and her selection as “Penthouse Pet of the Year” in 2024. Asked about that citation and what it was meant to honor, the campaign did not directly answer.
Hong, a Democratic socialist, is one of several candidates in the Democratic primary. She faces Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan and Democratic state Sen. Kelda Roys. Her campaign has also faced scrutiny over her past social media posts and policy positions, including support for proposals to abolish the U.S. Senate and defund the police.
Hong has since moved away from some of those earlier positions in interviews before Tuesday’s primary. She also faced renewed attention over a deleted 2020 X post calling to “cancel Thanksgiving” to stop what she described as celebrating colonialism and a “superspreader event” that killed Indigenous people and women. In a recent interview with Politico, Hong said Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday and that she does not want to cancel it. The Renee Olstead campaign role now adds another flashpoint to a race already under a bright spotlight. For American readers, the story shows how campaign staffing choices can quickly become a larger political issue when a statewide race is already tightly contested.
Frequently asked questions
What role is Renee Olstead playing on the campaign?
She is serving as Francesca Hong’s deputy campaign manager, according to the report.
How did Hong’s campaign respond to questions about Olstead?
The campaign said Renee Faust is a licensed mental health clinician who has worked with trafficking survivors and joined the campaign in December.
Who are Hong’s main opponents in the Democratic primary?
Hong faces Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former state administration secretary Joel Brennan and state Sen. Kelda Roys.
Why is the campaign drawing extra scrutiny?
Olstead’s background in sex work advocacy and Hong’s earlier comments and policy positions have both become points of criticism in the race.
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