Democrat panic as socialist star is toppled by razor-thin vote after Republican cash boosted her rise

By SAMANTHA LOREN, US POLITICAL REPORTER and ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 11:06, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 11:11, 12 August 2026 A Democratic Party establishment candidate has seen off a hard-Left challenger in a nail-biting primary to become the gubernatorial nominee in Wisconsin. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley beat Francesca Hong by just 3,211 votes on Tuesday night in a dramatic upset after prediction market traders had the ultra woke candidate as the heavy favorite. Crowley's victory was celebrated in Democratic Party HQ after Hong's astonishing rise sparked fears of surging nationwide progressive momentum - seen as a gift to the Republicans. The establishment was ultimately able to prevail on Crowley's pragmatic 'Badger Basics' plan which emphasized unions, affordable housing and expanded healthcare. Hong, a card carrying member of the Democratic Socialists for America, argued for sweeping structural economic change. She has called for scrapping Thanksgiving, defunding the police, abolishing ICE and doing away with the US Senate. Hong has since softened or abandoned several of those positions. Her politics were considered so toxic that Republican-linked money flowed into her campaign, on the calculation that Wisconsin voters would recoil from her in November. Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, the progressive movement's two biggest names, withheld their endorsements. David Crowley greets supporters at a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Francesca Hong speaks to supporters during an election-night party earlier this week in Madison, Wisconsin Hong could have requested a recount since Crowley’s margin of victory was less than 1 percentage point. But because it was wider than 0.25 points, Hong’s campaign would have had to pay for it.  Crowley got 313,321 votes, or 39.8 percent, beating out Hong who received 310,110 or 39.4 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press. Hong attracted backing from Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and California Congressman Ro Khanna, as well as former Ohio state senator and prominent Bernie Sanders ally Nina Turner. But Democratic strategists are now breathing a sigh of relief as Crowley is given much better odds of capturing swing voters in purple Wisconsin come November. He will face US Representative Tom Tiffany, a Donald Trump-backed congressman from northern Wisconsin, on November 3. Limited head-to-head polling shows Crowley narrowly ahead, while broader prediction markets gave the GOP an edge - largely because they'd expected Hong to be the nominee. Crowley’s comeback was one of the campaign’s defining twists after suspending his bid in July, endorsing Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, then returning after her withdrawal over campaign-finance mismanagement with the backing of outgoing Governor Tony Evers. Evers argued that Crowley gave Democrats their strongest chance of holding a pivotal swing-state governorship in November. The result is also historic as Crowley will become Wisconsin’s first black governor if elected. Hong had entered the final stretch as the polling frontrunner, propelled by especially strong support among younger Democrats and voters drawn to her populist, Socialist agenda. But Crowley’s victory underscores the continuing power of Wisconsin’s institutional Democratic coalition, combining organized labor, Milwaukee-area elected officials and the outgoing governor’s endorsement. The contest is already shaping up as one of the most closely watched of the 2026 cycle. Wisconsin remains a genuine swing state — Trump carried it by less than a point in 2024 — and both parties view the governorship as a critical piece of midterm leverage. Crowley's more moderate profile gives Democrats a clearer path to holding the seat, but Tiffany’s deep northern Wisconsin base and Trump’s ongoing influence mean neither side can take anything for granted.