Additional Coverage:
- Wisconsin Dem socialist gubernatorial hopeful dodges whether she still wants to ‘abolish police’ (foxnews.com)
Wisconsin Democratic socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong, the leading candidate in the Democratic primary for governor, declined to give a direct answer Tuesday when asked if she still supports abolishing the police. The exchange took place at Marquette University in Milwaukee during an interview with Politico reporter Jonathan Martin, following a televised debate where Hong pledged to maintain law enforcement funding despite scrutiny over her previous stance.
Hong emphasized the need to rethink current public safety systems, stating, “So, this system is not working. If we want to be serious, we better be putting these billions into things we know prevent crime.”
When pressed on whether she continues to advocate for police abolition, Hong avoided a straightforward yes or no response. Instead, she highlighted the importance of building “systems of care” and reallocating criminal justice resources before her campaign aide moved her away.
“I believe that we have to be serious about public safety, and I’m going to be a governor that is more serious than anyone else in making sure that we are building systems of care,” Hong said.
Her campaign communications director, Allison Geyer, told Fox News Digital that while Hong has not changed her fundamental values regarding police and prison abolition, she now frames the issue differently. Geyer described Hong’s previous abolitionist comments as aspirational goals, comparable to efforts to eradicate disease or eliminate poverty.
Earlier in the day, Hong and her four Democratic primary rivals were asked whether they would support a state budget that cuts police funding. All five candidates said they would not.
Hong remarked, “The governor cannot defund police, and I am not here to govern by slogan. I am here to make sure I am the governor that’s most serious about public safety.”
The interview reignited attention on Hong’s past remarks following the 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. In 2021, after federal prosecutors declined to charge the officer involved, Hong posted on social media calling for police abolition.
She wrote, “How is 7 bullets in the back not excessive force,” and added, “Police exist to uphold White supremacy. Defund then abolish.
Reform can’t be an option.”
Hong addressed the controversy in a May statement, affirming her commitment to public safety while condemning abuse of power by law enforcement officers. She said, “There is no way I want to cut resources for public safety.
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.”
Separately, Hong’s campaign said she does not recall a 2021 social media post calling to “Abolish the Senate” following the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
Hong’s campaign platform promotes state support for crime prevention programs that do not rely on incarceration, reentry services, red flag laws, universal background checks, and safe gun storage requirements. However, it does not advocate eliminating police departments or cutting their funding.
A recent Marquette Law School poll shows Hong leading the Democratic primary with 38%, up from 26% the previous week. Former Lt.
Gov. Mandela Barnes trailed at 16%, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley at 7%, and 34% of voters remained undecided.
The poll surveyed 407 primary voters and carries a margin of error of 6.6 percentage points.
Hong’s surge has raised concerns among Democrats ahead of the November general election against expected Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany. Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki condemned Republican efforts to influence the primary, calling it “a sneaky, underhanded, blatant attempt to meddle in the democratic process.”
Joel Brennan, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Wisconsin Department of Administration secretary, suggested in a memo that Republican ads are designed to boost Hong’s profile because her “extreme positions” on defunding police and abolishing prisons make her a weaker general election opponent.
According to filings with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, the Republican Governors Association has spent nearly $3.6 million on advertisements labeling Hong as dangerously liberal, highlighting positions that may appeal to progressive voters in the primary.