Francesca Hong, a long-standing Democratic Socialists of America member now running for Wisconsin governor, is trying to soften a radical record while leaving allies’ extreme goals intact, and her recent Fox News interview handed Republicans sharp talking points.
Hong is positioning herself as more moderate as she approaches the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin, but her DSA ties are real and long-standing. That history matters to voters who worry about the policies she has supported and the people around her.
The DSA platform endorses sweeping changes that go far beyond traditional progressive reforms. Those calls include abolishing the Senate, the presidency, the Supreme Court, ICE, the police and prisons, and pushing toward full-blown communism; those aren’t fringe talking points, they are policy aims advocated by prominent elements in the group.
She has openly acknowledged being a DSA member, and she has tried to dial down the rhetoric when cameras are on. Here’s her confession that she’s a long-time member of the DSA. And here’s where she tries to present a moderate face. This interview is a gift to Tom Tiffany and Republicans.
Hong frames many proposals under the umbrella of “public safety,” a term she uses to justify large new spending commitments. Under that banner she would expand housing, food, education, and healthcare programs, arguing that social programs will reduce crime.
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That argument is common among DSA supporters, who say poverty drives criminal behavior and that generous benefits will eliminate the incentives to steal or commit violence. Defunding the police hurts working-class people and minorities more than anyone.
That’s not true. Crime is not driven by poverty; it’s driven by moral bankruptcy, including poor impulse control and a sense of entitlement. Those are hard truths voters feel every day in neighborhoods where law enforcement has been undercut.
When pressed, Hong admitted some DSA goals aren’t practical “at this time.” That admission reveals the gap between ideological commitment and political reality. So she supports it. Just not right now.
Her agenda also includes sweeping economic interventions, including plans to intervene in or take over Wisconsin’s largest corporations. She even appeared alongside Hasan Piker, who said America deserved 9/11, as part of the coalition promoting elements of that platform.
Hong claims she will pay for expanded programs by taxing the wealthy, but those promises rarely survive basic budget math. Property taxes, income taxes, and other levies would have to rise to cover the scope she describes, and repealing neutral rules like Act 10 would push local tax bills even higher.
Francesca Hong will be a disaster for Wisconsin if her rhetoric becomes policy, because ambitious spending and soft-on-crime stances would hit working families hardest. The questions voters should ask are about real-world tradeoffs, not slogans.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
