Midwest Primaries: Progressive Champions Challenge Corporate Democrats in Wisconsin and Minnesota
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Democratic primaries in Wisconsin and Minnesota highlight the struggle between bold progressive leaders and entrenched moderates, while Republicans continue to embrace Trumpism and far-right extremism.
Primary elections in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Tuesday will determine whether the Democratic Party will finally embrace transformative change or remain shackled to centrist compromise. In Wisconsin, state lawmaker Francesca Hong, a proud democratic socialist, leads the Democratic gubernatorial primary, fighting for Medicare for All and universal childcare—policies that would uplift working families and address systemic inequality. Her campaign, powered by grassroots activists and small donors, faces resistance from the party establishment as former Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, backed by Governor Tony Evers and big donors, reenters the race in a bid to preserve the status quo.
"We can work across the aisle to get things done in Madison," Crowley said, signaling his willingness to water down progressive priorities in favor of bipartisan deals that rarely benefit ordinary people.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party continues its rightward lurch, with U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany—endorsed by disgraced President Donald Trump—expected to secure the GOP nomination for governor, running as a so-called everyman while pushing reactionary policies.
In Minnesota, the open U.S. Senate seat has become a battleground between Rep. Angie Craig, who shamefully voted for a Trump-backed immigration bill, and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a progressive champion endorsed by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Flanagan has pledged to take a principled, aggressive stand against the administration’s cruel immigration policies and to support immigrant communities, not just when it’s politically convenient.
"We can stand with the immigrant community, and not just when it’s politically expedient," Flanagan told supporters, drawing a clear line between real solidarity and empty rhetoric.
Both candidates have been forced to address the recent federal immigration enforcement actions in the Twin Cities, a stark reminder of the urgent need for humane reform. On the Republican side, the gubernatorial primary is a contest between MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, a conspiracy theorist and Trump loyalist, and state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the only Republican candidate with actual governing experience. Lindell, facing legitimate scrutiny over his residency and personal conduct, dismisses all criticism as a political attack—a familiar tactic among MAGA extremists.
"It started when I got the president’s endorsement," Lindell said, deflecting from the real issues at stake.
The outcomes of these primaries will reveal whether progressive candidates can finally break through the barriers erected by corporate Democrats and right-wing Republicans, and whether the Midwest will move toward justice and equality or remain mired in reactionary politics.