Francesca Hong, Angie Craig, and Peggy Flanagan Face Tests in Minnesota and Wisconsin Primaries

On Tuesday, Minnesota and Wisconsin hold primary elections that determine how Democrats define themselves heading into the November midterm elections, with Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial race featuring democratic socialist Francesca Hong and Minnesota’s contest featuring a progressive facing off against a moderate for a U.S. Senate seat.

“Minnesota and Wisconsin hold primary elections Tuesday that will determine how Democrats define themselves”

NPR

In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old democratic socialist, state lawmaker and chef, has been leading in the polls for governor, while Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley reentered the race with the backing of Gov. Tony Evers after dropping out in July.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In Minnesota, the competitive Democratic primary for an open U.S. Senate seat follows last year’s decision by Democratic Sen. Tina Smith to announce she would not seek another term, setting up a race between U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

Reuters frames the Wisconsin and Minnesota gubernatorial primaries as a test of progressive energy and whether U.S. President Donald Trump’s influence still holds sway over Republicans, with Minnesota Republican Mike Lindell and Wisconsin Democratic socialist Francesca Hong positioned at the ideological ends of their parties.

The New York Times similarly describes Tuesday’s contests as a battle between “the left and the middle” in Democratic primaries for Wisconsin governor and Minnesota Senate, and it also points to South Carolina’s special primary involving Darline Graham as another test of Trump’s endorsement.

Reuters reports that Minnesota Republicans are weighing Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell, a former MyPillow CEO and 2020 conspiracy promoter, as seven Minnesota Republicans vie to face likely Democratic gubernatorial nominee Senator Amy Klobuchar in November.

Reuters also quotes Lindell telling Reuters that he could win over Democratic voters, saying, "I believe I'm the only candidate that can win," and it adds that Lindell received Trump’s endorsement in May with Trump writing on Truth Social, “Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!!"

New York Magazine

In Wisconsin, Reuters says Francesca Hong is seeking the Democratic nomination and has drawn criticism for old tweets, including a November 2020 post in which she wrote, "Please DON'T gather for the colonizer holiday," and another saying, "Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621."

The New York Times notes that on the Republican side in South Carolina, President Trump’s choice to succeed Senator Lindsey Graham is Darline Graham, and it says a runoff is likely in the crowded race after Graham’s death last month.

Reuters adds that Hong is running without endorsements of progressive heavyweights Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while a Reuters/Ipsos poll it cites finds more than seven in 10 liberal Democrats say it’s “essential” for the party’s candidates to support increasing taxes on corporations and billionaires.

The New York Times describes Tuesday’s primaries as fresh tests for the Democratic Party’s left flank after Michigan’s success, and it links the Wisconsin and Minnesota races to national attention as closely watched battlegrounds.

“the winner of the Democratic primary is all but certain to face off against U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany”

NPR

In Wisconsin, NPR says the winner of the Democratic primary is all but certain to face off against U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany, and it describes Tiffany as endorsed by President Trump and backed by GOP megadonors.

NPR also says locally Democrats have hopes set on “trifecta” control of state government in Wisconsin, meaning holding onto the governorship and flipping the state Senate and Assembly, while Republicans are eager to keep their majorities in the Legislature and win back control of the governor’s office.

In Minnesota, NPR describes how confrontations with federal officers during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown shaped the Democratic primary, and it says those confrontations ultimately turned deadly when Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal agents just weeks apart.

Reuters adds that the Minnesota and Wisconsin primaries are expected to create electability questions for their respective parties in November’s midterms, with both Lindell and Hong positioned to face more conventional candidates.