Progressives Win Key Upper Midwest Primaries as Wisconsin Remains Decisive
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Progressive candidates secured nominations in Minnesota, while a Democratic socialist seeks the governorship in Wisconsin, where the primary outcome will test the left's momentum in a swing state.
Progressive candidates achieved notable victories in the Upper Midwest Tuesday, with Minnesota’s lieutenant governor winning the Democratic Senate nomination and a prominent member of the House’s progressive bloc retaining her congressional seat.
Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig for the Senate nomination, drawing support from leading figures on the left, while Craig was backed by establishment Democrats. In the 5th Congressional District, Rep. Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary, adding to her record of surviving well-funded challenges.
The remaining high-profile contest is in Wisconsin, where state Rep. Francesca Hong, a self-identified democratic socialist, is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. Hong, a former chef and single mother, has received endorsements from national progressives including Rep. Omar and Rep. Ro Khanna. Her campaign platform calls for raising the state minimum wage to $20 an hour, guaranteeing paid leave, and imposing a one-year moratorium on new AI data centers.
Hong previously posted on social media advocating for defunding and abolishing the police, positions she now says she no longer supports. The outcome of Wisconsin’s primary will indicate whether the progressive wing can extend its recent successes into a pivotal battleground state.