Fox's Dana Perino grills Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong over democratic socialism
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Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Friday pressed Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary front-runner in the Wisconsin governor’s race, over her association with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and past comments about law enforcement.
In social media posts in 2020, the gubernatorial candidate called to “defund the police” and stated that she supported defunding police “as a first step towards abolishing the police.”
Hong attempted to sidestep her past comments on “America’s Newsroom,” saying she believes “people can evolve.”
“The governor cannot defund the police, and I won’t defund the police,” she said. “But I will invest in the things we know prevent crime. … We have to be tough on causes if we want to prevent crime.”
Hong also addressed other past statements in which she supported abolishing the Senate and the U.S. Supreme Court in her Fox News interview, saying she no longer holds those positions.
When asked by Perino about her DSA membership, Hong said she has been a member of her home chapter in Madison, Wis., since 2020. She added that her identity as a democratic socialist candidate is “less defined by just one organization.”
“Clearly our bipartisan coalition means that I’m more defined by being a good single mom, that I’m a service industry worker, that I truly believe in legislation that helps everyone,” she said. “And these are the things that people want to talk about in rural and urban parts of the state.”
Hong is running to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has served as the state’s chief executive since 2019.
The democratic socialist is widely considered the front-runner in the state’s Democratic primary on Aug. 11 after her top challenger, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D), exited the race on Thursday.
Evers has endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who has been polling in the single digits among the state’s likely primary voters. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) is the GOP front-runner in the race.
A Marquette University Law School poll from earlier this month found Tiffany with a 3-point advantage over Hong in a theoretical November match-up. The Republican received 43 percent support in the survey, compared with 40 percent for Hong.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, rates the race as a “toss Up.”
Hong also skirted questions about her past comments about abolishing the police on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Friday.
When pressed by CNN’s Dana Bash about whether her comment that “people can evolve” means Hong has changed her personal view on defunding the police, Hong repeated that the governor does not hold power to do that.
“I cannot defund police as governor, and what I want to do is make sure that we’re fully funding and investing in the community programs that we know actually work,” the Democratic candidate said.
Tiffany slammed Hong over her past support for that cause.
“No amount of spin can erase @FrancescaHongWI’s own words,” he wrote Thursday on social media.
“She didn’t just advocate for defunding the police. She called to abolish them,” he continued.
Hong responded directly to her opponent’s criticism, writing in a social media post that she was “not running to defund the police.”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Friday pressed Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary front-runner in the Wisconsin governor's race, over her association with the Democratic…
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Skip to content
Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Friday pressed Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary front-runner in the Wisconsin governor’s race, over her association with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and past comments about law enforcement.
In social media posts in 2020, the gubernatorial candidate called to “defund the police” and stated that she supported defunding police “as a first step towards abolishing the police.”
Hong attempted to sidestep her past comments on “America’s Newsroom,” saying she believes “people can evolve.”
“The governor cannot defund the police, and I won’t defund the police,” she said. “But I will invest in the things we know prevent crime. … We have to be tough on causes if we want to prevent crime.”
Hong also addressed other past statements in which she supported abolishing the Senate and the U.S. Supreme Court in her Fox News interview, saying she no longer holds those positions.
When asked by Perino about her DSA membership, Hong said she has been a member of her home chapter in Madison, Wis., since 2020. She added that her identity as a democratic socialist candidate is “less defined by just one organization.”
“Clearly our bipartisan coalition means that I’m more defined by being a good single mom, that I’m a service industry worker, that I truly believe in legislation that helps everyone,” she said. “And these are the things that people want to talk about in rural and urban parts of the state.”
Hong is running to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has served as the state’s chief executive since 2019.
The democratic socialist is widely considered the front-runner in the state’s Democratic primary on Aug. 11 after her top challenger, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D), exited the race on Thursday.
Evers has endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who has been polling in the single digits among the state’s likely primary voters. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) is the GOP front-runner in the race.
A Marquette University Law School poll from earlier this month found Tiffany with a 3-point advantage over Hong in a theoretical November match-up. The Republican received 43 percent support in the survey, compared with 40 percent for Hong.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, rates the race as a “toss Up.”
Hong also skirted questions about her past comments about abolishing the police on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Friday.
When pressed by CNN’s Dana Bash about whether her comment that “people can evolve” means Hong has changed her personal view on defunding the police, Hong repeated that the governor does not hold power to do that.
“I cannot defund police as governor, and what I want to do is make sure that we’re fully funding and investing in the community programs that we know actually work,” the Democratic candidate said.
Tiffany slammed Hong over her past support for that cause.
“No amount of spin can erase @FrancescaHongWI’s own words,” he wrote Thursday on social media.
“She didn’t just advocate for defunding the police. She called to abolish them,” he continued.
Hong responded directly to her opponent’s criticism, writing in a social media post that she was “not running to defund the police.”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Skip to content
Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Friday pressed Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary front-runner in the Wisconsin governor’s race, over her association with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and past comments about law enforcement.
In social media posts in 2020, the gubernatorial candidate called to “defund the police” and stated that she supported defunding police “as a first step towards abolishing the police.”
Hong attempted to sidestep her past comments on “America’s Newsroom,” saying she believes “people can evolve.”
“The governor cannot defund the police, and I won’t defund the police,” she said. “But I will invest in the things we know prevent crime. … We have to be tough on causes if we want to prevent crime.”
Hong also addressed other past statements in which she supported abolishing the Senate and the U.S. Supreme Court in her Fox News interview, saying she no longer holds those positions.
When asked by Perino about her DSA membership, Hong said she has been a member of her home chapter in Madison, Wis., since 2020. She added that her identity as a democratic socialist candidate is “less defined by just one organization.”
“Clearly our bipartisan coalition means that I’m more defined by being a good single mom, that I’m a service industry worker, that I truly believe in legislation that helps everyone,” she said. “And these are the things that people want to talk about in rural and urban parts of the state.”
Hong is running to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has served as the state’s chief executive since 2019.
The democratic socialist is widely considered the front-runner in the state’s Democratic primary on Aug. 11 after her top challenger, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D), exited the race on Thursday.
Evers has endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who has been polling in the single digits among the state’s likely primary voters. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) is the GOP front-runner in the race.
A Marquette University Law School poll from earlier this month found Tiffany with a 3-point advantage over Hong in a theoretical November match-up. The Republican received 43 percent support in the survey, compared with 40 percent for Hong.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, rates the race as a “toss Up.”
Hong also skirted questions about her past comments about abolishing the police on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Friday.
When pressed by CNN’s Dana Bash about whether her comment that “people can evolve” means Hong has changed her personal view on defunding the police, Hong repeated that the governor does not hold power to do that.
“I cannot defund police as governor, and what I want to do is make sure that we’re fully funding and investing in the community programs that we know actually work,” the Democratic candidate said.
Tiffany slammed Hong over her past support for that cause.
“No amount of spin can erase @FrancescaHongWI’s own words,” he wrote Thursday on social media.
“She didn’t just advocate for defunding the police. She called to abolish them,” he continued.
Hong responded directly to her opponent’s criticism, writing in a social media post that she was “not running to defund the police.”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Friday pressed Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary front-runner in the Wisconsin governor's race, over her association with the Democratic…