Madison Representative Francesca Hong — an active member of Democratic Socialist of America and the Wisconsin Assembly’s Socialist Caucus who sponsored several bills in the state legislature to gift millions of taxpayer dollars to mental health professional from a “certain minority group”— looks to implement her agenda statewide as she launched her bid for governor earlier this fall.
Hong joined the race in an attempt to make Wisconsin take a tougher stance on the widely elected “authoritarian” Presidential administration.
“We have an authoritarian regime that endorses mass suffering, gutting food from children and gutting health care from working people and dismantling public education and programs,” Hong said.
Despite lacking academic credentials, having no prior professional experience or experience managing a state budget, Hong believes her time working as a chef and bartender qualifies her because she understands the needs of hardworking Wisconsinites.
“Wisconsinites, they f-ing hustle, and they deserve a governor who is going to be working as hard as they are.”
In an interview with the Wisconsin Examiner, Hong stated that her inspiration for her gubernatorial run came after she witnessed her fellow Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani run for Mayor of the nation’s largest city.
“Mamdani has showed us that meeting voters where they are, building a diverse, multi-generational, multi-faith, multi-racial and multi-ethnic coalition is how you build trust with voters,” Hong said.
Hong – who has an “ongoing commitment to creating social, racial, and economic justice” — has promised to veto legislation that prevent children from receiving medical, social and legal interventions to reaffirm one’s gender identity if it conflicts with their biological sex, redistribute local government budgets despite the amount their residents pay in taxes, deduct a union members dues from their annual income tax and criminalize assault rifles as Governor.
During her time in office, Hong sponsored several bills that would restrict state resources, including police departments, from cooperating with federal law enforcement.
She has also sponsored bills to criminalize “conversion therapy” even if that goes against the patient’s will, pushed legislation to reduce carbon emissions, and fought to increase taxes on gun ownership. (RELATED: ‘Let Them Sue’: Wisconsin GOP Bill Targets Doctors Over Gender Procedures)
Hong has since joined a crowded field to be the Democratic nominee for Governor, comprised of Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Representative Kelda Roys, Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, former State Representative Brett Hulsey, former head of the “Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation” Missy Hughes, beer vendor Ryan Strnad and college student Zachary Roper.
She currently trails several candidates, including the former Lieutenant Governor, in the polls.
