Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, currently leads the Democratic primary race for governor. At Marquette University in Milwaukee, she sidestepped questions from Politico’s Jonathan Martin regarding her stance on abolishing the police. This followed a debate where she pledged to maintain law enforcement funding despite her prior calls for police abolition.
Hong commented, “So this system is not working. If we want to be serious, we better be putting these billions into things we know prevent crime.” Martin questioned her long-term views on police abolition. Hong avoided a direct answer and spoke about “systems of care” and reallocating criminal justice funds before being guided away by a campaign aide.
“I believe that we have to be serious about public safety, and I’m going to be a governor that is more serious than anyone else in making sure that we are building systems of care,” Hong asserted during the event.
Her communication director, Allison Geyer, told Fox News Digital that while Hong’s discussions on police have evolved, her core values remain unchanged. “Rep. Hong has spoken in the past about police and prison abolition as an aspirational goal, akin to eradicating disease or eliminating poverty,” Geyer explained.
Earlier, in a televised debate, Hong and four other Democratic candidates stated they would not sign a budget cutting police funding. “The governor cannot defund police, and I am not here to govern by slogan,” Hong remarked. “I am here to make sure I am the governor that’s most serious about public safety.”
This scrutiny draws on comments Hong made after the 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, where she labeled policing as serving White supremacy and called for its abolition. She addressed this in a May statement to Fox News Digital, emphasizing her commitment to public safety without prioritizing crime.
The campaign also addressed a 2021 social media post calling to “Abolish the Senate” after then-President Donald Trump’s impeachment failed to yield a conviction. Her platform includes support for crime-prevention programs, reentry services, red flag laws, and universal background checks, but does not call for the elimination of police departments.
A recent Marquette Law School poll shows Hong leading at 38% among Democratic primary voters. The race has unsettled some Democrats concerned about her competitiveness against likely Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany. Former Lt. Gov. Mandella Barnes and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley trail behind, with 34% of voters undecided.
Joe Zepecki, a Democratic strategist, criticized Republican efforts to influence the race by boosting Hong as a perceived weak opponent. Joel Brennan, competing for the Democratic nomination, has challenged ads aimed at labeling Hong as an extreme candidate.
A report by WisPolitics notes the Republican Governors Association’s substantial spending on ads against Hong, casting her as dangerously liberal to undermine her chances in the general election. These moves highlight ongoing tensions and strategic plays in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial contest.