WISCONSIN — Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old Wisconsin State Assembly Member, is campaigning for governor as a self-identified democratic socialist ahead of the August 11, 2026 Democratic primary. Hong advocates for policies including defunding and abolishing the police and a $20 minimum wage. She stated, "We do this in Wisconsin, we're going to change politics across the country."

Hong supports increasing taxes on the wealthy, creating a state-owned bank to fund free health care and child care, and a moratorium on data center construction. A single mother, she has previously worked as a dishwasher and line cook. Hong said people who are frustrated and have a lot to lose are ready to unite around a candidate they can trust. "People who are frustrated and have a lot more to lose — and I'm one of those people — are ready to coalesce around someone they can believe in," Hong said.

Other Democratic candidates include former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, State Senator Kelda Roys, and Joel Brennan, a former top aide to Governor Tony Evers. First-time candidate Melat Kiros is also running. Rodriguez launched a $1 million television ad campaign in July 2026. Missy Hughes, former economic development director of Wisconsin, dropped out in June 2026 and endorsed Rodriguez. David Crowley, the top elected official in Milwaukee County, withdrew in July 2026 without making an endorsement.

Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki stated that Barnes is the favorite in the primary. "I have believed from the day since Mandela Barnes got into the race, he's the favorite," Zepecki said. He added, "It is his race to lose." Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, commented on the selection of candidates. "It's especially important in the age of Trump to select viable candidates," Tanden said. Shealso noted, "In Wisconsin, whoever wins the general election will be the person overseeing elections in 2028 and whether people are seated in 2029."

Francesca Hong was the first Asian American elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2020. She is one of four members of the socialist caucus in the Wisconsin Legislature, which was revived in 2023 after being dormant since 1935. Donald Trump won Wisconsin in the 2024 presidential election by less than 1 percentage point, having lost the state in 2020 by a similar margin. Governor Tony Evers won gubernatorial elections in 2018 and 2022 by narrow margins. Historically, Milwaukee elected its first socialist member of Congress and its first major city socialist mayor in 1910, followed by two more socialist mayors before 1960. Bernie Sanders won all but one county in Wisconsin during the 2016 Democratic primary.