Top Wisconsin Democratic socialist candidate confronted on past 'defund police' rhetoric

Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong defended her active membership in the Democratic Socialists of America while attempting to distance herself from some of its most extreme proposals Friday.

Speaking on "America’s Newsroom," Hong was confronted over previous posts endorsing far-left causes like abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), dismantling the Senate and defunding the police. Her appearance came a month after she appeared on Hasan Piker’s broadcast, where she defended many of the DSA’s policies.

Fox News’ Dana Perino questioned whether there was anything Hong disagreed with regarding the DSA platform, to which she responded that abolishing the Senate is "nonsensical and non-practical at this time." She also rejected their platform of getting rid of the Supreme Court, citing a belief in checks and balances.

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Perino then asked directly whether Hong was personally a dues-paying member of the socialist organization.

"In my home chapter in Madison, I have been since 2020," Hong confirmed, describing herself as a "democratic socialist," "a good single mom" and a "service industry worker."

However, Perino pressed Hong on past social media posts where she repeatedly called for police abolition, asking: "Why shouldn't people take you at your word when you say that you want to defund the police and go towards abolishing it?"

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Hong said her views had evolved, replying, "I believe that people can evolve. We meet Trump voters from previous elections who now would like to vote for me."

"So who needs to evolve, the voter or you?" Perino asked. Hong then rejected her previous position, noting that the governor of Wisconsin would be unable to defund the police, and promising that if elected she "won’t defund the police."

The focus on the DSA’s platform has highlighted a rift in the Democratic Party, as many moderate Democrats reject its policies, despite several DSA candidates notching primary wins, including in New York and Colorado.

In June, Hong appeared on Piker’s stream, where she confirmed aspects of her platform, including supporting universal childcare, free school meals, abolishing ICE, public grocery stores and legalizing cannabis, among others.

Polling has Hong poised to take the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin governor, despite frequently being pressed by outlets about her past statements online. She has been backed by local Wisconsin DSA chapters and has gotten public support from key Democratic figures, including Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna.

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Hong called for abolishing police in a 2021 social media post after federal prosecutors chose not to charge the officer accused of shooting Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha. She addressed those comments in a May statement to Fox News Digital but did not say then whether she continued to support abolishing the police.

"There is no way I want to cut resources for public safety," Hong said. "I don’t like crime. I don’t like unsafe streets. I also don’t like when a member of law enforcement abuses their power."

Her campaign also previously addressed her "Abolish the Senate" comments, noting she did not recall making the post in 2021, which came after the Senate failed to convict President Donald Trump during impeachment proceedings.

Fox News’s CJ Womack contributed to this report.