Wisconsin Voters Head to Polls Aug. 11 as Francesca Hong Faces David Crowley for Governor

Wisconsin heads to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 11 for a partisan primary that will decide which candidates advance in races for governor, state Legislature, Congress and more.

“Wisconsin heads to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 11”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Democratic primary for governor is in the national spotlight as results come in, with political observers seeing Francesca Hong’s candidacy as a litmus test for democratic socialism in a swing state and David Crowley backed by retiring Gov. Tony Evers as a more moderate alternative.

AP News

WPR reported that Gov. Tony Evers joined Crowley on the campaign trail in the closing days, including a stop at the Winnebago County Democratic Party headquarters in Oshkosh, where Crowley said, “I’m in this race because the stakes are too high right now.”

WPR also quoted Evers telling Fox Valley Democrats that Crowley’s experience leading Milwaukee County made him the right person to succeed him, saying, “The one that has the most experience leading, and that’s him.”

WPR said four Democrats are vying to compete against U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the presumptive Republican nominee, in November, with Madison state Rep. Francesca Hong holding a commanding lead in recent polls of Democratic primary voters.

At a coffee shop in Wausau Friday, WPR reported Hong said, “It’s time that we fight back against this rigged system and actually put working class people first,” as she also described lowering healthcare costs and boosting funding for public education.

CNN

Wisconsin Watch described how Democratic voters remain split in the final days before Tuesday’s primary, with Kathleen O’Laughlin, a 69-year-old former Milwaukee public school teacher and Souls to the Polls volunteer, saying she will likely vote for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Wisconsin Watch also quoted Steven Daw, a 24-year-old retail worker and Milwaukee chapter member of the Democratic Socialists of America, saying of Hong, “She’s made it tangible for people to feel that she can actually improve things.”

Multiple outlets framed the Wisconsin governor’s primary as a high-stakes test for Democrats heading into November, with CNN saying the race could set up “a high-stakes test of how a swing state electorate might react to the party’s shift leftward this fall.”

““a high-stakes test of how a swing state electorate might react to the party’s shift leftward this fall”

CNN

CNN also reported that awaiting the winner in November is Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican backed by Trump and described as having vastly outraised both Hong and Crowley.

Wisconsin Watch said the stakes “couldn’t be higher” because the party has a chance to take full control of state government for the first time in 16 years, while also noting Democrats need to keep all of their current seats as well as flip two Senate and five Assembly seats to gain a majority.

In the same coverage, Wisconsin Watch quoted Kathleen O’Laughlin saying she supports democratic socialism but is not impressed with Madison Rep. Francesca Hong, adding, “I don’t think she has what it takes to represent the party.”