BATTLEGROUND

Socialist Loses Nail-Biting Primary in Key Battleground State

Moderate establishment Democrats narrowly dodged a nightmare scenario.

A moderate establishment favorite squeaked out a razor-thin primary victory, extinguishing a progressive surge that threatened to upend a critical Midwestern battleground. The high-stakes Wisconsin clash saw Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly edge out state Representative Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist who sought to ride growing left-wing primary momentum. With 98 percent of the votes tallied, Crowley pulled ahead by roughly 3,000 votes after moderate Democrats survived a chaotic primary field marred by candidate dropouts and scandal. Hong, a single mother and former chef, centered her campaign on her working-class roots but stumbled under scrutiny over past social media posts. Though national progressive heavyweights like Senator Bernie Sanders declined to endorse her, Republicans heavily funded ad campaigns to boost her, betting she would be an easier general election target. Instead, Crowley—backed by outgoing Governor Tony Evers—will now advance to face Representative Tom Tiffany, an ardent Trump ally who voted against certifying the 2020 election results, setting up a brutal clash over who will control the crucial swing state’s executive branch.