Francesca Hong Leads Democratic Primary as Party Moves Further Left, Poll Shows
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A Marquette University Law School poll finds Francesca Hong, a far-left candidate, leading the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor. Establishment Democrats Mandela Barnes and David Crowley lag behind, while many voters remain undecided, reflecting the party’s radical shift.
Francesca Hong has widened her lead among Democratic primary voters for Wisconsin governor, according to a Marquette University Law School poll conducted July 22-27. The survey of 407 registered Democrats found 38% would vote for Hong, a candidate known for her extreme progressive positions, compared with 16% for former lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes and just 7% for Milwaukee County executive David Crowley, both representing the more traditional wing of the party. A large 34% of respondents remain undecided, suggesting many Democrats are uneasy with the party’s current direction.
When asked which candidate they were leaning toward, Hong’s lead increased to 46%, while Barnes and Crowley trailed at 21% and 11%, with 14% still undecided. Poll director Charles Franklin noted that including leaners is a decent predictor of the final outcome, but these voters are not yet committed—perhaps reflecting doubts about the party’s hard-left turn.
Barnes emerged as the top second-choice candidate, receiving 20% of second-choice votes, while Crowley and Kelda Roys received 13% and 12%. This shows that even among Democrats, there is no clear consensus, and the party remains divided between radicals and moderates.
The poll, with a margin of error of ±6.6 points, did not capture any shifts after the only televised debate on July 28. It also omitted head-to-head matchups with Republican front-runner Tom Tiffany, though earlier data showed Hong trailing Tiffany by three points among registered voters—an indication that Democrats may struggle in the general election if they nominate a far-left candidate.
Governor Tony Evers’ endorsement of Crowley was known to 62% of Democratic respondents, but 56% said it did not affect their vote, revealing that even the party’s establishment figures have limited influence over a base increasingly driven by radical ideology. Franklin observed that while Evers remains popular, endorsements have little impact on voter choice.
Age-group analysis showed Hong’s strongest support among voters 18-29, where 66% chose her and only 22% were undecided. Barnes performed better with older voters; among those 60 and older, 24% favored Barnes while 14% supported Hong, and 46% remained undecided—suggesting older Democrats are wary of the party’s leftward lurch.
Franklin concluded that while Hong’s lead is sizable, the race remains “fairly tight.” The large share of undecided voters, especially among older demographics, could still prevent the party from fully embracing its radical wing.