As Francesca Hong surged, Democratic rivals held their fire: From the Politics Desk

From the Politics DeskAs Francesca Hong surged, Democratic rivals held their fire: From the Politics DeskPlus, new bipartisan odd couple in the Senate.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong.Nam Y. Huh / APShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAug. 10, 2026, 5:00 PM EDTBy The Politics DeskWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.In today’s edition, I take a look at the lack of attacks Francesca Hong has faced on the Wisconsin airwaves. Plus, Allan Smith dives into an unexpected bipartisan pairing in Pennsylvania. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.— Adam WollnerAs Francesca Hong surged, Democratic rivals held their fireAnalysis by Adam WollnerIn the final stretch of Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, Francesca Hong has confronted growing criticism from members of her party that she is too far to the left to win a general election in a swing state.But very few of those attacks have come directly from her Democratic opponents — one possible reason she has managed to build a double-digit lead in the polls.At the end of last week, an outside group backing Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley — who has emerged as Hong’s main rival — launched a TV ad saying that “Francesca Hong’s record is a distraction we can’t afford.” It marks the first broadcast ad from a Democratic-aligned group attacking Hong all primary season, AdImpact data shows. The pro-Crowley group had been focused on positive spots the last few weeks after their candidate re-entered the race as moderate Democrats scrambled to find an alternative to Hong. Hong has also been targeted by nearly $3 million in ads from a group linked to the Republican Governors Association calling her “too liberal for Wisconsin.” But those are an effort by the GOP to boost the Demo...