Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary continues to be too close to call, with democratic socialist Francesca Hong and moderate Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley separated by only a few hundred votes after more than 90% of ballots have been counted, reports said on August 12.
The closely fought contest is being watched as an indicator of the strength of progressive politics in Wisconsin, a key battleground state. The winner will take on Republican nominee Tom Tiffany, a US representative, in the November general election.
Crowley held a narrow advantage in projections from US media outlets, but the margin remained too small for the race to be called. Hong is seeking to become Wisconsin's first democratic socialist governor.
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According to a Reuters report, the result could offer an early indication of whether Democratic voters are shifting towards more left-leaning positions ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Hong has campaigned on policies including abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), placing a one-year pause on data centre development and raising taxes on billionaires and corporations.
The primary outcome comes against the backdrop of a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey that found strong support among liberal Democrats for several progressive priorities. About 76% considered higher taxes on corporations and billionaires essential, while 72% backed expanding abortion access and 71% supported universal government-provided healthcare.
Hong, however, did not have the high-profile endorsements that helped some other progressive candidates. She ran without backing from Senator Bernie Sanders or Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Earlier this month, Michigan progressive Abdul El-Sayed won his party's Senate primary.
Hong had also faced scrutiny over social media posts from 2020 that criticised Thanksgiving and called for people not to gather for the holiday. She subsequently sought to clarify those remarks, saying she had positive personal memories of Thanksgiving while recognising that the holiday carries painful associations for many people. She also said she had not intended to call for its cancellation.
Trump endorsement test
Tuesday's contests also raised questions about the influence of President Donald Trump's backing in Republican primaries.
In Minnesota, former MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell failed to secure the Republican nomination for governor despite receiving Trump's endorsement in May. Lisa Demuth, speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, won the Republican contest instead.
Lindell has remained a prominent Trump supporter and has promoted the unsubstantiated claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
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Demuth is expected to face Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, who won her party's nomination comfortably. The general election is likely to unfold amid political debate over immigration enforcement following the federal "Operation Metro Surge" campaign in Minneapolis, during which two people died.
Minnesota's Senate Democratic primary provided a different signal for the progressive wing. Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Representative Angie Craig for the nomination to succeed Senator Tina Smith, who announced her retirement in February 2025.
Flanagan has taken a hard line against ICE, while Craig had been the sole Minnesota Democrat to support the Laken Riley Act, which expanded ICE's authority in certain immigration cases. Craig later said she regretted backing the legislation.
In another closely watched Wisconsin race, Democrat Rebecca Cooke won the nomination in the 3rd Congressional District. She will challenge Republican Derrick Van Orden, who has represented the district since 2022.
Cooke, a former small-business owner and waitress, has contested the seat twice before. She has raised more money than Van Orden, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has included her in its Red to Blue programme, which provides financial and organisational support to candidates in competitive races.
