Francesca Hong Campaigns for Wisconsin Governor Amid Endorsement Gaps

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong is campaigning in western Wisconsin, where she recently visited River Falls and New Richmond to advocate for a moratorium on AI data centers. Hong proposes using executive authority to direct the Department of Natural Resources to increase scrutiny of hyperscale project permits and instructing the Department of Administration to pause land leases and contracts for data center development. She argues these measures are necessary to protect the state's environment, economy, and energy costs.

Despite her front-runner status in a primary split between progressive and moderate factions, Hong has not secured endorsements from high-profile progressives. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders both declined to endorse her. Ocasio-Cortez defended Hong's past calls to abolish the police and cancel Thanksgiving, stating that "Woke 1 was crazy" and that candidates should be judged by their current positions. Sanders cited a lack of familiarity with the race as the reason for his neutrality.

Hong has since distanced herself from previous radical stances, explicitly stating she will not defund the police. If she wins the Democratic primary, she is expected to face presumptive Republican nominee and U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, who has received the endorsement of Donald Trump.