MADISON, Wis. — Progressive contenders for governor in Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in Minnesota are making their final pitches ahead of Tuesday’s election, raising the stakes for a Democratic establishment that’s been on the ropes all year.
The primaries come a week after Rep. Haley Stevens narrowly lost to Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s heated and costly U.S. Senate race. El-Sayed's triumph has invigorated the left, but also stoked fears among Democratic Party officials that the shift to the left, especially in critical states like Michigan and Wisconsin, will make it harder to win in November.
Wisconsin’s tumultuous primary: progressive vs. governor’s choice Democratic socialist Francesca Hong is running in a four-way Democratic primary in Wisconsin for governor, where her leading opponent has the backing of popular Gov. Tony Evers, who isn’t seeking a third term.
On July 18, Evers endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who jumped back into the race the same day after leaving it 10 days prior. Crowley returned after the candidate he favored, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, dropped out of the race over a campaign financing scandal.
Evers and Crowley have been crisscrossing the state together in the last days before final ballots are cast Tuesday.
With the messy primary, which saw two other candidates exit the race, most notably former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes on July 29, winding down, Evers and more mainstream Democrats were expected to finally unite behind Crowley.
Barnes and Rodriguez, both viewed as front-runners, are still on the ballot, and absentee votes for them can’t be rescinded.
Republicans are spending to influence the Democratic primary Republicans are spending to influence the Democratic primary Republicans are backing Hong, believing she will be the superior match-up for Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in November. The Republican Governors Association has spent roughly $3.6 million thru its Right Direction Wisconsin PAC on commercials contrasting Hong with President Donald Trump and highlighting her leftist agenda.
Other Democrats, like Crowley, say the commercials are aimed to boost Hong’s stature in the primary, as Republicans think she would be an easier opponent.
Evers projected confidence at a rally Sunday nite that drew hundreds of people in Hong’s hometown of Madison, claiming Crowley was the greatest chance Democrats had to beat Tiffany.
“We’re going to win this thing,” Evers told the Crowley supporters, calling Tiffany “the worst governor in Wisconsin history.”
“If Tom Tiffany is elected in November that will be the equivalent of electing Donald Trump governor of the state of Wisconsin,” he remarked.
Crowley called for Democrats to join together after the primary and defeat Tiffany.
“Our end game is to make sure there is not a MAGA extremist in the governor’s office,” Crowley added.
In comments Wednesday, the president dubbed Hong a communist, citing a 2020 social media post by Hong advocating for the cancelation of Thanksgiving. This week when asked about the post, Hong reversed herself and declared Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday.
Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 and 2024, and Republicans have maintained majorities in both houses of the Legislature since 2011. Keeping the governor’s office is important for Wisconsin Democrats who are trying to seize full control of state government for the first time in 16 years.
Five Republicans, including Michael Alfonso, the son-in-law of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, are running in a primary to replace Tiffany. Trump has endorsed Alfonso, who is seeking to represent Duffy’s old congressional seat.
Minnesota primary comes after spate of immigration crackdown In nearby Minnesota, voters are picking between moderate U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in a Democratic U.S. Senate race unfolding in the wake of Trump’s hard-line immigration enforcement spike in the state.
The contest has been defined by the shooting of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, an incident captured on video that sparked a backlash to Trump’s immigration policy.
Craig and Flanagan both crisscrossed the Twin Cities metro area over the weekend.
In a suburban Eagan driveway Sunday, Craig addressed the anxiety of Democratic primary voters who feel Washington isn't working for them. When they leave office, Congress members need to get out of the stock-trading and lobbying business, she added, and the U.S. needs to put a lid on the deluge of corporate campaign expenditure.
“But the only way that we get any of the progressive policies that all of us here support is to win elections and take damn majorities,” she remarked.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has not injected himself into the Senate primary, unlike in Wisconsin, where the current governor has endorsed someone to take his place. But his wife, Gwen Walz, has endorsed Craig and campaigned with her Sunday.
Flanagan campaigned Saturday with U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, who helped her argue that Washington needs a shakeup to dig out the deep-pocketed forces propping up a broken status quo.
“It’s big corporations, it’s special interests that are putting their thumb on the scale in our elections across the country,” Flanagan said. “And it's not just the Republicans. And it’s Democrats, too.”
It’s been one of the most costly races Minnesota has seen, with millions of dollars behind both candidates, but with Craig getting the lion’s share.
The primary winner will be the favorite to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith in November. Minnesota voters last elected a Republican to statewide office in 2006.
MyPillow creator Mike Lindell is a leading Republican candidate in the governor’s race. He’s a leading peddler of Trump-endorsed lies about electoral fraud. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is one of six Democratic primary candidates.
Democratic troubles in other states, too, show Tuesday’s primaries Connecticut: Two veteran Democratic incumbents face left challenges.
Moderate Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont is seeking a third term but opposes leftist state Rep. Josh Elliott. The Democratic nominee will take on Republican state Sen. Ryan Fazio in November
Democrat John Larson, 78, the long-serving U.S. representative, is seeking a 15th term, and his age and health have been prominent factors in the four-person contest.
Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin narrowly secured the party’s endorsement at its state convention in May. Other contenders are Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune and state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest.
Vermont has two Democrats competing for a shot to take on Republican Gov. Phil Scott.
Former child advocacy organization CEO Aly Richards has the backing of former Democratic Govs. Howard Dean and Madeline Kunin. She’s up against economist Amanda Janoo.
