David Axelrod, a key architect of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, has publicly stated that the defeat of progressive candidate Francesca Hong in an upcoming Wisconsin primary could benefit other Democrats. Axelrod characterized Hong as a purveyor of “zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica” and suggested that her association could be used by Republicans to link more serious progressive candidates, like Abdul El-Sayed, to her more extreme positions. This insider perspective highlights a perceived internal division within the Democratic party, where some progressives are viewed as potential liabilities by their own party strategists, even amidst recent electoral successes. Hong, a Wisconsin State Assembly member and self-proclaimed socialist backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has championed policies such as universal childcare, a $20 minimum wage, abolishing ICE, providing state IDs to non-citizens, establishing public grocery stores, and opposing U.S. support for Israel. She has also courted controversy with past remarks advocating for canceling Thanksgiving due to smallpox history, defunding the police to combat white supremacy, and abolishing the Senate. Hong has pushed back against criticism, asserting her identity as a “proud democratic socialist” focused on policies that improve lives, and has indicated she is not trying to present herself as a moderate. Her campaign has gained significant traction following the withdrawal of frontrunner Mandela Barnes, leaving her and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as the leading contenders in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, with Crowley having secured the endorsement of outgoing Governor Tony Evers.
Adapted from: Latest Political News on Fox News
