Dem establishment scores win as Crowley defeats socialist Hong in Wisconsin

National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., endorsed Sen. Darline Graham on the heels of Graham's South Carolina special GOP U.S. Senate primary victory.

Graham, the top finisher in the contest, will face Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. — who placed second in the primary — later this month in a special Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff contest.

"If I were going to endorse in the South Carolina GOP Senate primary, I wanted to do so with confidence. After watching Darline Graham in the Senate and on the campaign trail, I’m confident she’s the real deal. Her first-place finish last night was remarkable, but not surprising. She is a conservative stalwart, a hard worker, and represents our beloved state with class, humility, and dignity," Scott said in a Wednesday post on X.

Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, was tapped by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to serve the remainder of her brother's term and is backed by President Donald Trump.

"I know she is making her brother proud, but Darline has already proven to be her own person: focused on pocketbook issues, defending our South Carolina values, and delivering for the people she represents. Her priorities are our priorities," Scott wrote. "I voted for Darline in yesterday’s primary, and I’ll vote for her again in the runoff. I’m proud to endorse Darline Graham for the U.S. Senate, and I encourage South Carolina Republicans across our state to join me in voting for her in the runoff," he added.

EDINA, MN - As socialist candidates continue to score victories across the country and take more control of the Democratic Party, Minnesota GOP Senate nominee Michele Tafoya is making her pitch to voters from all parties who still believe in "common sense."

"We do not want to see a socialist lurch anywhere in this country, and in particular in Minnesota, so I will do whatever I can to stand up against this movement toward Democrat socialism," Tafoya told Fox News Digital on Tuesday shortly after voting in a suburb outside Minneapolis. "Socialism does not work."

"There is absolutely a home for every voter in Minnesota that wants common sense, that wants a return to sanity, that wants to see kids learn in school again, that wants accountability for this fraud, who wants the fraud never repeat itself, who wants crime rates to go down again," Tafoya told Fox News Digital. "There is room for you. We are the common sense candidacy and we're gonna represent a lot more than just conservatives in this state."

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley praised former rival Francesca Hong, a Democratic socialist, on Wednesday while rejecting the progressive-versus-establishment framing of Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary and taking aim at "MAGA extremism."

"Over the past few months, you've heard a lot of people try to define this election as a battle between the left and the center, between progressives and the establishment, between insiders and outsiders. That narrative misses the entire point of what we're doing," he said.

"We may not agree on every policy. We may not use the same labels, but we all want safe communities, strong schools, affordable health care, good paying jobs, and a brighter future for all of our children," he said.

But Crowley said the "much bigger" issue for people to unite on "is keeping MAGA extremism from bringing the chaos we see in Washington into our neighborhoods" in Wisconsin.

Crowley named President Donald Trump-backed Republican gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany as "The real opponent."

"From the very first day that I announced this campaign, I said the real threat wasn't any of my primary opponents. The real opponent has always been Tom Tiffany. That remains true today," Crowley asserted.

Democratic Governors Association (DGA) Chair Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear expressed congratulations for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, the winner of the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary.

"Congratulations to David Crowley on becoming the Democratic nominee for governor in Wisconsin. As Milwaukee County Executive, David has delivered real results for Wisconsin families – cutting property taxes, expanding affordable housing, and bringing people together to fund first responders and EMS to keep Wisconsinites safe," Beshear said in a statement.

"As governor, David will build on this record of fighting for working families and work with both parties to grow the state’s economy, strengthen the middle class, bring down costs, and invest in Wisconsin’s kids," he continued, adding, "The DGA looks forward to working with him to keep this seat in Democratic hands."

Crowley defeated state Assemblymember Francesca Hong, a Democratic socialist, and the other candidates running in the contest.

A source in the Hong campaign confirmed to Fox News Digital that state Rep. Francesca Hong conceded overnight to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Wisconsin.

Crowley defeated second-place finisher Hong, a Democratic socialist, and other candidates in the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary contest.

The Democratic candidate will face President Donald Trump-backed Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election.

Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who lost the Minnesota Democratic U.S. Senate primary to state Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, has thrown support behind her former opponent.

"Peggy Flanagan’s commitment to Minnesota and dedication to improving the lives of everyone around her is admirable — I offer her my wholehearted support," Craig wrote in a post on X, before taking a jab at Michele Tafoya, the winner of the Minnesota Republican U.S. Senate primary.

"Michele Tafoya is a threat to our democracy  — it’s time for Minnesota to come together and keep this seat blue," Craig's post declared.

Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. celebrated Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan's win in the Minnesota Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

Omar and Pressley, members of the progressive cadre of U.S. House lawmakers known as "The Squad," had both endorsed Flanagan for U.S. Senate.

"Congratulations to the new Democratic nominee for Senate from Minnesota, @PeggyFlanagan. Minnesotans are ready for bold, progressive leaders who will stand with the people and fix our broken status quo. I can't wait to get out the victory for you in November," Pressley noted in a Tuesday night post on X.

Omar, who won the Democratic U.S. House primary in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District on Tuesday, wrote in an early Wednesday morning post, "I am so incredibly proud of @peggyflanagan and can’t wait for her to be our Senator. Let’s go win this in November," she continued, adding the raised hands emoji.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who both endorsed Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., for U.S. Senate, celebrated the candidate's advance to the South Carolina special Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff that will be held later this month.

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., the sister of the later Sen. Lindsey Graham, won the special Republican U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday, while Norman came in second place.

The two candidates will go head-to-head in the runoff contest later this month.

".@RalphNorman advances! I was proud to endorse him!" Scott declared in a Tuesday night post on X.

Mace wrote in a post on X, "South Carolina has chosen. @RalphNorman is heading to the runoff. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to send a true conservative fighter to Washington. We need your vote again on August 25. Let's finish what we started."

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Devin Remiker declared the party's support for Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary winner David Crowley in a Wednesday statement.

"The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is proud to endorse and throw its full support behind David Crowley as our nominee for governor," Remiker said in the statement.

"Unlike Donald Trump’s hand-picked nominee MAGA extremist Congressman Tom Tiffany, David Crowley has proven through a competitive primary that he is battle-tested and ready to win in November. Wisconsin Democrats across the state are united and fired up to join David Crowley in his fight to lower costs for Wisconsinites and take on Congressman Tom Tiffany and his extreme MAGA policies," he asserted.

Milwaukee County Executive Crowley defeated state Assemblymember Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, as well as the other candidates in the Democratic gubernatorial primary contest.

Remiker asserted that " ... Democrats will unite around David Crowley to ensure we elect Democrats to deliver relief for working people being crushed by Donald Trump and Tom Tiffany’s out-of-control cost of living crisis. Wisconsin Democrats have flipped the Supreme Court, ended the worst gerrymander in the nation, and humiliated the world’s first trillionaire. Tom Tiffany is next.”

Fox News' Sally Persons contributed to this report

Garren Randolph, the campaign manager for Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary victor David Crowley, took jabs at President Donald Trump and Republican gubernatorial primary winner U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in a statement issued on Crowley's @DavidCCrowley X account early on Wednesday morning.

Randolph accused Trump and Tiffany of "division and extremism."

"Now, David is focused on bringing people together, earning the support of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and anyone who believes Wisconsin is at its best when we work together and deliver results," Randolph said in part of the statement.

"The choice in November has always been clear. We can move Wisconsin forward with leadership focused on solving problems, or we can bring the division and extremism of Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump to Wisconsin," he said in the statement. "David is ready to get back to work, build a broad coalition, and win in November."

MADISON, Wis — The left wing suffered a high-profile setback on Tuesday at the hands of the center-left establishment in their ongoing battle for the ideological future of the party.

Seven days after far-left candidate Abdul El-Sayed narrowly edged out more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in battleground Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, state Rep. Francesca Hong on Tuesday was upset in her bid to capture the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Wisconsin, another crucial swing state.

Hong, a state lawmaker from Madison, Wisconsin and a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, was defeated by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, the Associated Press reports.

Crowley will face off in the general election against likely Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany, a hard-right House Freedom Caucus member who is backed by President Donald Trump. The race is considered a top flip opportunity for the GOP.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias and Paul Steinhauser

Rick Crosson won the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District on Tuesday, The Associated Press projected.

Crosson narrowly edged out Mark Scheffler and Katrina deVille to earn a spot on the November ballot.

He will face Republican Tony Wied, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary.

Fred Clark won the Democratic primary for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district on Tuesday, The Associated Press projected.

Clark, who served as a Democratic state legislator in Wisconsin from 2009 to 2014, will face Michael Alfonso, who emerged from a crowded field to win the Republican nomination.

Alfonso is the son-in-law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy. He was the only Republican candidate in the race to receive President Donald Trump's endorsement, with Trump calling the 26-year-old a "MAGA WARRIOR."

A series of closely watched primaries across the Upper Midwest delivered key victories for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing Tuesday night — with one major test still hanging in the balance in battleground Wisconsin.

The biggest remaining question of the night is in Wisconsin, where Democratic voters are still waiting to learn who will carry the party’s banner in the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Tony Evers.

State Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, is seeking to extend the progressive left’s string of victories in one of the nation’s most closely divided battleground states, where Democrats are fighting to keep control of the governor’s mansion.

Hong, a 37-year-old former chef and single mother, has drawn backing from nationally known progressives, including Reps. Omar and Ro Khanna of California.

Meanwhile, progressive "Squad" member Rep. Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, securing another victory for one of the most prominent members of the House’s progressive wing.

Omar’s win adds to a string of primary victories for the congresswoman, who has previously survived well-funded efforts to oust her.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias.

Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota Speaker of the House of Representatives and a Republican candidate for governor, called her victory a sign of “hope” on Tuesday evening after winning her Republican primary.

“There is hope for Minnesota,” Demuth said.

“People are frustrated with fraud, can’t believe that it happened, that it was allowed to go on for so long. We heard Minnesotans loud and clear.”

Demuth, a state legislator who has served in the Minnesota House since 2019, is running to replace outgoing Gov. Tim Walz. Notably, Republicans have not won statewide office in Minnesota since 2006.

In order to defy the pattern, Demuth hopes to speak to voters' frustration on topics like government efficiency and fraud.

After securing the Republican nomination on Tuesday, Demuth bashed Democratic candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., for failing to speak into the fraud rings that surfaced last year — sizeable operations that siphoned as much as $9 billion from government programs.

“Amy Klobuchar has never protected our federal or state tax dollars. She’s never said a word about it until she was running. She is no different from Tim Walz, and that is not what Minnesota needs,” Demuth said.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley re-launched his campaign for governor after his wife said her prayers were answered. 

Crowley suspended his campaign in early July, citing the lack of a clear path forward, and endorsed Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez. 

Even after dropping out, he told The Guardian he and his wife went back and forth on whether he should re-enter the race as other candidates seemingly struggled to gain ground against Francesca Hong, a socialist with a history of controversial statements.

Crowley’s wife, in his telling, asked God in prayer to send her a clear sign — a red bird — to indicate if her husband should revive his gubernatorial campaign. Just before receiving a call informing her that Rodriguez had dropped out, she says she saw a red cardinal. 

Cardinals are relatively common in Wisconsin.

“We knew that the stakes were too high for me to sit on the sideline, and that we need the best candidate — not just with executive leadership, but somebody who has a proven track record of getting things done,” Crowley said. “And that’s what voters want. They want someone that they can trust. And that’s why we got back into this race.”

Maurice Mercer, a former city council president and businessman, won the Democratic nomination in the special primary for Alabama’s 6th Congressional District, setting up a November matchup against incumbent Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala.

Mercer defeated a crowded field of candidates that included content creator Ashtyn Kennedy, retail worker Jacob Bouma-Sims and registered nurse Keith Pilkington.

Mercer served more than 12 years on the Pelham City Council, which includes five years as council president, and was the first Black person elected to the body.

He campaigned as a moderate Democrat focused on lowering costs, expanding health care access, supporting education and small businesses, and protecting Social Security and Medicare.

The special primary came after Alabama adopted new congressional district lines following a legal battle over the state’s map. Alabama had already held its regularly scheduled primary May 19, but new elections were ordered in four congressional districts affected by the redistricting.

Michael Alfonso won the Republican party's nomination after beating a crowded field of contenders in Wisconsin's 7 district.

Alfonso is the son-in-law of Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy. He is the only candidate in the district's race to receive the endorsement of President Donald Trump, who dubbed the 26-year-old as a "MAGA WARRIOR."

He is seeking the same northern Wisconsin congressional seat once held by his father-in-law, who represented the district from 2011 to 2019.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., who is running to be Wisconsin's governor. He was first elected to the seat in a May 2020 special election after Duffy resigned due to one of his children's health issue.

District 7 has been under control of Republicans for 15 years, and it is deemed a solid Republican by Cook Political Report. Trump carried the district with about 60% of the vote during the 2024 presidential election.

Michigan Republican senatorial candidate Mike Rogers told “Hannity” on Tuesday that Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed’s past comments and positions coming back to the fore are causing a “collective gasp across Michigan.”

Rogers was referring to recent reporting on El-Sayed disparaging fireworks, football and bucolic Mackinac Island.

“I want to make sure we're protecting our faith and our families and our factories and our freedoms while he's advocating doing away with our fireworks, football, the Fourth of July,” Rogers said.

“This guy spent hours hating on what most Michiganders would enjoy in their pastimes, and he should be held to account for that. These are views that he held that he was pretty strong about, but he knew that he had to delete them all for if people really knew who he was, they wouldn't vote for him.”

Rogers said once Michiganders fully grasp El-Sayed’s platform they will no longer gravitate toward him.

“Again, this isn't your dad's Democrat party or your grandparents' Democrat party. It has changed,” Rogers said.

“We're getting a lot of folks who are democrats, who are saying in the state, we can't do this, this can't be the direction of the state and the country, and they're joining on to the Rogers for Senate campaign.”

Paul Wikstrom, a Republican candidate for congress in Minnesota’s 4th congressional district, won a primary election on Tuesday evening, setting himself up to pursue the seat in the state’s Nov. 3 general election.

Wikstrom faces an uphill race as he mounts a challenge to Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., in a district that has leaned comfortably Democratic in years past.

McCollum last won reelection in a 67.3% to 32.6% victory over Republican challenger May Xiong.

To overcome the odds, Wikstrom has pitched himself as a foil to Democratic leadership he argues has weakened the state in areas like education and community safety.

“The state legislature passed a budget that increased spending by 40%,” he said in a campaign video.

On his website, Wikstrom lists stopping fraud through mandatory audits for all government spending, increasing affordability by extending tax cuts and prompting state business by critically evaluating federal regulations among his top priorities.

Having cleared the primary, Wikstrom heads to the state’s general election on Nov. 3.

Ammie Akin, a former public school superintendent, won the special Republican primary in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, setting up a general election matchup against incumbent Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala.

Akin has a background in education and has also worked as an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder. Her campaign has focused on education, economic opportunity and support for families and communities across the district.

Akin defeated David Perry, a former Alabama State Board of Education candidate.

The special primary was held after Alabama adopted new congressional district lines following a legal battle over the state’s map. Alabama had already held its regularly scheduled primary May 19, but new elections were ordered in four congressional districts affected by the redistricting.

Sewell, who has represented the 7th District since 2011, was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. She is the first Black woman elected to Congress from Alabama.

The 7th District includes parts of Birmingham and stretches across portions of western and central Alabama. The district has historically favored Democrats, giving Sewell an advantage heading into the November general election.

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., paid homage to her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in remarks after she advanced to a runoff election on Tuesday evening in the race to fill his seat for a full six-year term.

She was appointed to fill her brother’s seat after he died in office last month.

“I want to say that this is a very emotional night because I'm usually standing here celebrating with Lindsay. So I know he's looking down right now, smiling. So that gives me peace,” Graham said.

With no candidate having captured the needed 51% of the vote to secure the nomination outright, South Carolina will hold a runoff election on Aug. 19.

Graham will face Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a top Republican in the House of Representatives.

She said she welcomed the two week stretch toward the matchup, thanking President Donald Trump for his endorsement.

“I want to thank President Trump; his steadfast support and his complete and total endorsement means so much to me. He knows that I will stand with him and fight for his agenda, just like Lindsey did.”

“I've been accused of not being a politician. Guilty as charged. I will spend the next two weeks of this runoff meeting with voters,” she added.

Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., has won her Democratic primary race as she seeks another term representing Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District.

The longtime congresswoman defeated lone challenger Amy Donahue, a far-left progressive whose campaign platform included Medicare for All, ending U.S. weapons transfers to Israel, supporting a free Palestine and raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Despite the growing moment of Democratic Socialist aligned candidates, Donahue was unable to win voters away from Moore, who has served in Congress since 2005.

She was the first Black person elected to Congress from Wisconsin. Before joining the U.S. House, she served in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature.

The longtime congresswoman serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and has focused much of her work in Congress on economic opportunity, Social Security, health care, housing and policies affecting women, children and families.

Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District includes most of Milwaukee and is heavily Democratic. Moore has easily won reelection since taking office, making the Democratic primary her biggest challenge to winning another term.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., won his primary election on Tuesday evening, paving the way for him to pick up a seventh term.

Moments after securing the nomination, Emmer put out a statement expressing his gratitude to constituents.

“Jacquie and I are blessed for the resounding support and trust of voters across the 6th district. Minnesotans know what is at stake in November — it’s an election of chaos vs common sense, communism vs freedom,” Emmer said.

“As your Congressman, I’ll continue standing up for our shared conservative values, working alongside President Trump to combat fraud, lower the cost of living and advance our America First agenda. Thank you to all for your continued support!"

Emmer, who is a key part of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., leadership team, beat out Republican challenger Mike Foley, a chemical engineer.

Having cleared the primary, Emmer heads to the state’s general elections on Nov. 3.

Rep. Mark Pocan has won the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.

The congressman’s primary victory all but guarantees he will win another term in the House. Pocan won over 70% of his district’s vote in both 2022 and 2024.

Pocan’s district is heavily Democratic, covering the state capital of Madison. To secure his nomination, Pocan defeated Douglas Alexander, widely regarded as a longshot candidate.

During his tenure in Congress, Pocan has established himself as a progressive stalwart. 

He is chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and co-chairs both the Congressional Labor Caucus and Congressional Equality Caucus. Pocan is also a critic of Israel, supporting measures to block arms sales to the country, citing humanitarian concerns.

As an openly gay member of Congress, LGBTQ rights have been a major part of his career.

Pocan serves on the influential Appropriations and Foreign Affairs committees.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a candidate for Senate in South Carolina, is calling on Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., to clarify her stances on a range of traditionally GOP issues as the two of them head to an election runoff in a race to fill the seat of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Darline, Graham’s sister, was appointed to fill his seat after he died in office last month.

“I don't know where she stands on a lot of issues. I think that's where we'll find out — where she stands on pro-life. Where does she stand on the death penalty? Where does she stand on spending?” Norman said.

Norman, a top Republican in the House of Representatives, is calling for a debate sooner rather than later.

“So, we'll get into the debate, which I welcome the debate. My record is an open book.”

He added that Republicans should present a united front against Democrats when the candidate is selected.

“This is a time to come together, folks. We've gotta all coalesce, come together because we have got some socialist Democrats we have got to beat,” Norman said.

Norman’s comments come as neither he nor Graham captured the needed 51% of the vote to secure the Republican nomination. The runoff is slated for Aug. 19.

Minnesota Republican leaders are arguing that Republicans have a fighting chance to win top races in the state, saying that Minnesota is a "purple state."

The discourse comes as Republicans vie for the open governor’s race and a U.S. Senate seat.

House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., pointed the 2024 presidential election map results as evidence that the state doesn't necessarily lean blue.

"In fact, if you look at the 2024 presidential heat map, it is overwhelmingly red," Emmer said on NewsMax. "There is a blue dot essentially in the Twin Cities."

President Donald Trump lost the state to Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, capturing 46.7% compared to Harris' 50.9%.

Minnesota Republican state Rep. Kristin Robbins gives a more detailed breakdown of the state legislature to show that Democrats don't have the stronghold perceived.

"Our Senate is Democrat by one vote, and our House is tied," Robbins said in an interview to Fox News Digital. "We are the definition of a purple state."

"We absolutely can get control of the governor's office and flip the legislature because Minnesotans are fed up, and they know Democrats. If they are given another shot at the governor's office and at the legislature, they will finish implementing all the DSA policies they didn't get done last time they had the trifecta," Robbins continued.

Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong is failing to accrue key progressive endorsements, Kayleigh McEnany reported on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” in a dynamic Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., attributes to Hong’s “extreme Madison socialism.”

McEnany reported Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. have not endorsed her and outgoing Gov. Anthony Evers endorsed one of her challengers.

“Abolish the prisons, abolish police, the highest income tax rates in the United States… she doesn't even like Thanksgiving. We're seeing these continual flip flops now as she has been exposed,” said Tiffany, who is expected to notch the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee.

“I think this is part of the reason that you're seeing Bernie, AOC and others; they will not endorse her. She's proposing all of these things and there is a price tag to them. And the people in Wisconsin are going to find out what that price tag is for all these free things that she's going to offer people across the state of Wisconsin. And even they know it will not add up at the end of the day,” Tiffany said.

In a July podcast appearance, Francesca Hong claimed the lack of support she’s received from her party’s leadership could be due to her race.

“What is it about you, Abdul El-Sayed, Mamdani, even though you all are crushing in the polls, that makes you an anathema to the current Democratic leadership and its donors?” podcaster Wajahat Ali asked Hong.

“Mayor Mamdani and Dr. Sayed and I just all happen to be people of color,” Hong responded.

Hong’s lead opponent in the primary, David Crowley, is African American. Mandela Barnes, who withdrew from the race in late July, is also Black.

In the interview, Hong went on to compare herself to South African leader Nelson Mandela and to dismiss concerns about her electability.

Hong has come under fire for comments she’s made about race in the past, including complaining about having “proximity to whiteness” due to her mixed-race son and suggesting that Thanksgiving should be cancelled due to its purportedly racist origins.

Midterm elections don’t typically get too much attention from voters, Fox News’ Rich Edson reported on Tuesday’s “Special Report,” adding that Minnesota appears to be an outlier.

Edson told anchor Bret Baier that Secretary of State Steve Simon’s office reported 241,000 ballots by late Tuesday, which exceeded the 2022 midterm count by 90,000 ballots.

The most visible race is the senatorial primary on the Democratic side between Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

“The National Republican Senatorial Committee would be thrilled to see Peggy Flanagan win the Democratic nomination because its internal polling has the expected GOP nominee Michelle Tafoya within one point of Flanigan in a state where Republicans have lost the last two Senate races by five and 15 points,” Edson reported.

Vermonters, Wisconsinites and Alabamians also go to the polls Tuesday, as in the latter case a key court’s redistricting ruling sent several of Alabama’s congressional districts back to the literal drawing board. Those districts are the only ones voting Tuesday.

Minnesota Republican senatorial candidate Michele Tafoya sounded off on her two potential opponents on Tuesday, saying that Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig are too far out of the mainstream for the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Tafoya, a former "NBC's Football Night in America" sideline reporter, is favored to become the Republican nominee as Craig and Flanagan battle on the left Tuesday.

“Every voter I talk to is angry because the state is traveling about 100 miles per hour in the wrong direction,” Tafoya told “The Ingraham Angle.”

“And it's because of career politicians like the two women you were just talking about that we just heard from. They have been in power for years now. And where has that left us? Embarrassed, $9 billion poorer thanks to that fraud. Crime rates up, test scores down. Why would anyone think that re-electing either of those women was the answer?”

Host Laura Ingraham noted that Craig had backpedaled from her vote for the Laken Riley Act, and had told MSNOW’s Ali Velshi that she indeed regrets any vote she’s made that forwarded President Donald Trump’s immigration law enforcement agenda.

“Are you going to have convictions or are you not?” Tafoya said in response.

“Or are you just going to vote and then backpedal? And where does that take her next? I mean, if she's going to cave to that, she's already voted against the farm bill multiple times because you know what? They wanted to clean up fraud in the SNAP program. We know there is fraud in this SNAP Program…And here we are, an agriculturally based state,” added Tafoya.

Outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers cast doubt at Francesca Hong and her election odds ahead of the state’s primary election on Tuesday evening.   

“I think she’s in a tough place,” Evers said.

“She has spent her entire campaign dealing with what’s on Twitter, and I just find that’s not a good way to beat Tom Tiffany,” he added, referencing the presumptive Republican nominee.

Evers, who has endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, is the most recent Democrat to needle Hong over some of her controversial positions online.

In the past, Hong has called for the abolition of the Senate, defunding the police for reinforcing white supremacy and demanded Americans stop celebrating Thanksgiving. Those views have garnered criticisms even from the likes of David Axelrod, a political strategist and advisor to former President Barack Obama, who contrasted her with more “serious” candidates.

Evers continued to give voice to those concerns on Tuesday.

“She talked about Thanksgiving,” Evers said, referring to Hong’s recent media appearances. “Come on. This is about making sure the people of Wisconsin get what they need to be successful.”

The winner of Tuesday’s primary will advance to the state’s general election on Nov.3.

Barbara Dittrich, a Republican who serves alongside Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin State Assembly, is cautioning voters not to believe the socialist’s attempts to distance herself from past statements.

“Trust me. I've served with her. All of her backpedaling is phony,” Dittrich posted to X on Monday night. “She is as radical as her original quotes. Go pull up all of the WisEye video coverage of committee hearings she's in, like the Assembly Committee on Education.”

Hong recently denied that she was opposed to Thanksgiving after social media posts resurfaced where she argued that the holiday should be cancelled due to its allegedly racist past. She has also come under fire for comments made about prison abolition and defunding law enforcement.

"I was actually trying to become a sports journalist when I first went to college so I learned you sometimes have bad takes on Twitter,” Hong recently told Fox News Digital, explaining her past posing habits.

Former Virginia governor and 2028 presidential contender Glenn Youngkin campaigned in Wisconsin ahead of the state’s Tuesday primary elections.

“The heartland is ready to stand up for America,” Youngkin posted to X on Monday alongside a clip of him next to Rep. Tom Tiffany.

Tiffany is the favorite to win the GOP nomination for governor in Wisconsin, facing off against long-shot candidate Andy Manske, a 27-year-old medical technician.

“The congressman and I have known each other for awhile and I’m really excited about the fact that he’s not just running for governor, but he will be a common sense governor in Wisconsin,” Youngkin said while in Wisconsin. “And that’s what originally got us excited. And then, also for Wisconsin to be this representative election between common sense and leadership, to make Wisconsin great, and really crazy.”

Amid speculation that he could make a run for the presidency in 2028, Youngkin launched a multimillion-dollar ad blitz targeting multiple battleground states touting President Donald Trump’s education agenda.

Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy shared that she has a special connection with Congressional candidate Michael Alfonso, who is running in her husband's old district.

Alfonso is her son-in-law, and he is the only candidate in Wisconsin’s 7th District to receive President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

"I'm going to tell you a story about him that I think really speaks volumes about who he is," Campos-Duffy said.

Campos-Duffy said Alfonso and her oldest daughter, Evita, met in middle school and dated throughout high school and college. Alfonso proposed, and they planned to get married in the summer after Evita graduated from college.

Campos-Duffy said she called her daughter and asked her to postpone the wedding until after the summer so they would have more time to plan the wedding. Campos-Duffy said Alfonso then called her and asked that they didn't postpone the wedding.

"I am not waiting one more second," Campos-Duffy recounted Alfonso saying. "I'm going to make her my wife as soon as she graduates from college."

"I think that speaks volumes about Michael. It shows the kind of man he is, the kind of Christian values he has," Campos-Duffy said. "Doesn't just show how much he loved our daughter, but it shows that he also loved the institution of marriage and how much family and doing it the right way meant to him."

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., called for dismantling President Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and promised not to fund his immigration system on the eve of Minnesota’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary, where she is widely viewed as the more moderate candidate.

During a Monday night appearance on MS NOW’s “The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi,” Craig said she would “absolutely not provide any funding to Trump’s immigration system” and urged Democrats to “stand up and dismantle Trump’s ICE.”

The comments build on a position Craig has sharpened throughout the year. In January, she said there was “no way in hell” she would support additional funding for Trump’s ICE operation and later voted against an appropriations package that included Department of Homeland Security funding. At the time, Craig said she would not give the administration “another penny” and argued that Congress should use its power of the purse to push back on Trump’s immigration policies.

This stance on defunding ICE follows criticism Craig faced, including from her primary opponent, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, over her 2025 vote for the Laken Riley Act. The bill was a Trump-backed immigration law that expanded deportation of migrants accused of crimes.

Craig later said she regretted the vote.

Gov. Tony Evers told a local media outlet he would back socialist Francesca Hong if she wins Tuesday’s primary, but predicted Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, whom he endorsed, will defeat her.

“She’s a Democrat, of course we’ll be helpful, but that’s not going to happen,” the Wisconsin governor told WISN 12 on Monday.

“This guy is going to win,” Evers, who was seated next to Crowley, said.

Crowley echoed Evers’ sentiment.

“We have a duty. Our duty, no matter who is in this race, is ultimately to make sure that a Republican is not occupying the governor’s office, and so I will back whoever it is,” he said. “But I plan to be the nominee.”

Evers said that the Milwaukee leader is a “great candidate” and that he wanted to “bring some people to the fore that will help him get across the finish line.”

Ahead of Election Day, most polls showed Hong leading Crowley by double digits. 

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned voters on Tuesday evening not to forget the many eyebrow-raising details that have emerged about socialist candidates across the country, their positions and their pasts.

He believes many of them are preparing to shift their tone to appeal to a broader base after the primaries.

“Sometime in the last, I think, 60 days, it began to hit them that they are so radical that their big government socialism is so unacceptable and that their anti-American cultural values are so off-putting that they're trying to invent what I've called the party of amnesia,” Gingrich said.

His warning comes as DSA-backed Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong looks poised to become the latest progressive to capture a party nomination.

Hong, who is running in a primary on Tuesday evening, has attracted criticism for calling for the abolition of the Senate, defunding the police for reinforcing white supremacy and demanding Americans stop celebrating Thanksgiving.  

On election day, Hong reversed her position on at least one of those, telling reporters she now supports Thanksgiving.

Gingrich believes voters should be skeptical.

“The new Democratic nominee from Wisconsin says that she loves Thanksgiving; she really wants us to have amnesia about her tweets where she said that Thanksgiving should be abolished because it was the beginning of genocide … And I think that's a losing strategy,” he said.

Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race, told a reporter she “wasn’t canceling Thanksgiving” when asked what she thought voters might not know about her.

"I've cooked many great Thanksgiving dinners, and I'm not going to cancel Thanksgiving," Hong said with a smile.

The remarks from Hong come in response to backlash she received over a deleted November 2020 X post, calling to cancel the holiday.

"Cancel Thanksgiving," Hong wrote. "Should have done this in 1621. If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women, so be it."

In light of the criticism, Hong has walked back her old social media post, saying that the holiday can be "incredibly painful for many people in our communities," in an interview with Politico.

Hong will be facing off David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive who has the backing of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

If elected, Francesca Hong, a socialist candidate for governor in Wisconsin, says she plans to enact the calls from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to freeze data center construction in the Badger State on her first day in office.

“We want to make sure that we’re calling in a special session for the legislation on the moratorium of data centers,” Hong told reporters in an interview ahead of a primary election on Tuesday afternoon.

Hong’s focus on data centers joins spreading fears among Democrats about how their use of water and electricity play into environmental concerns, coupled with dismal projections about how AI might disrupt workforces.

Sanders noted that several progressives have joined his calls in a press release in March.

“A few months ago, when I proposed a moratorium on AI datacenters, it was perceived as a radical, fringe and Luddite idea. Well, not anymore,” Sanders wrote.

Hong, who is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), faces a primary on Tuesday evening where, if successful, she will advance her to the general election on Nov. 3.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong was photographed wearing a bright blue knee-length blazer over what appeared to be a pair of baggy black pants and a black shirt as she cast her vote in Tuesday's primary election in Wisconsin.

Hong was also seen wearing multiple friendship bracelets and a pair of black basketball shoes coupled with novelty socks.

The socialist's Election Day outfit drew some negative reactions from social media users.

“She’s wearing a potato sack?” one user commented on X. 

“​​I’m going to need her to get some better fits. Respectfully,” another user said.

Some, however, reacted more warmly to the gubernatorial hopeful’s odd manner of dress.

“Since people are commenting on this look I am just gonna say she is kind of killing it,” one user wrote. “Every single article is an extremely odd choice but all put together it’s a solid outfit.”

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it is monitoring polling sites in two Minnesota counties during Tuesday’s primary election as part of an effort to "ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law."

About 20 staff members from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota are monitoring polls in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, according to a DOJ news release.

“Minnesota is DOJ’s next stop on its nationwide effort to ensure free and fair elections,” Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “The DOJ is committed to nondiscriminatory monitoring throughout the primary and general election seasons.”

A socialist candidate for governor in Wisconsin with an extensive history of inflammatory online posts once described America as "an abundance of suffering," Fox News Digital has found.

"I want this country to stop being an abundance of suffering but a wealth of opportunity," reads a Jan. 20, 2022 X post from Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, who is running in the Democratic Party's primary election to become the state's top official.

"We can do this by providing equal rights to Black and Brown folks," the post continues. "Elect more Black and Brown folks who won't be racist obstructionists. We can all be better and do so much more."

This isn't the first time the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate has faced scrutiny for past comments on social media that are especially critical of America and its institutions and ideals.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca.

Voters in Tega Cay, South Carolina, are weighing experience, name recognition and President Trump’s endorsement in Tuesday’s special Republican Senate primary.

Ten Republicans are competing to become the party’s nominee for the seat held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to The Associated Press.

Some voters said the crowded race could head to a runoff, while one questioned Darline Graham’s lack of political experience.

Gary Shive, a Trump supporter who voted for Ralph Norman, told Fox News he was frustrated by Trump’s endorsement of Graham.

"I don't like the way that she immediately got an endorsement from President Trump. I mean I've been a President Trump supporter. But the fact that he immediately came and basically endorsed her without any — there's no background, no experience," Shive said.

Another voter pointed to Graham’s family name as an advantage.

"I mean she has a real shot at it, obviously a Graham legacy," Paul Loucas said. "I think Ralph Norman is a strong contender as well."

Fox News' Chelsea Torres and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Devin Remiker repeatedly dodged questions about Thanksgiving on Tuesday after state gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, reversed her statement about canceling the holiday.

CNN host John Berman asked Remiker what his personal feelings were about Thanksgiving.

"I love Thanksgiving," Remiker said. "I even host a Friendsgiving every year, so I basically do Thanksgiving twice."

He then took a swipe at Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., saying Tiffany would have a difficult Thanksgiving after losing the governor’s race.

Berman pressed Remiker on whether Hong’s past comments were a problem for Democrats. Remiker instead argued the controversy gave Democrats an opportunity to criticize Tiffany over the cost of the holiday.

"I think it's great that we have so many opportunities to talk about how Tom Tiffany is going to make Thanksgiving more expensive for Wisconsinites by driving up the cost of the groceries that it costs to make it, the cost of the gas that it takes to drive to your family's place and gather under one roof to share in a great holiday. So, as many times as I get to hammer that point, I'm more than happy to do it," Remiker responded.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Hanna Panreck.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is urging Minnesotans to “go vote" while making an Election Day push for Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

In a video shared to X on Tuesday, Warren called Flanagan "the fighter we need in Washington."

"Please, if you haven't already voted, go vote," Warren said. "Vote for Peggy Flanagan for the United States Senate. If you already voted, get some more people to vote. Today is really important." 

Sen. Bernie Sanders is urging Minnesota voters to support Peggy Flanagan in Tuesday’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, while taking aim at what he called “dark money” spending in the race.

"MINNESOTA: Today is Election Day," Sanders wrote on X. "Dark money groups are spending $20 million to defeat Peggy Flanagan in the most expensive primary election in MN history."

He added, "This election is about the people vs. the money. I encourage all Minnesotans to support Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate."

David Axelrod, one of the architects behind President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, believes other progressives might stand a better chance of getting elected if, in his view, one of their more unserious candidates loses an upcoming primary.

"It would be good for Abdul El-Sayed if Francesca Hong loses her bid to become the Democratic nominee in Wisconsin next week," Axelrod wrote in a post to X.

"He is a serious person. She is a font of zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica. But the [Republicans] … would surely try to link Abdul and Hong as philosophical kin."

Axelrod’s comments seem to indicate that despite their recent success in the 2026 midterms, not all progressives are viewed equally across the party — that some of them are seen as political liabilities even among themselves.

"This tweet is a perfect example of why the consultant class keeps losing elections. They're totally clueless, and they're hellbent on keeping working-class people out of politics," Hong wrote about Axelrod's X post. "I've spent more time in kitchens than faculty lounges. Perhaps you'd like to come to Wisconsin and work a Friday night dinner rush with me?"

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Leo Briceno.

Michele Tafoya, who spent decades as a sports broadcaster, told Fox News Digital she jumped into the Republican Senate primary in Minnesota to offer voters a change from the status quo.

In an interview after casting her ballot Tuesday, Tafoya said Minnesotans "are ready" to elect a GOP senator for the first time since 2002 because there's been a "crisis of leadership."

"We've seen what career politicians have done in this state. They've brought us to a place of national embarrassment and this state is ready for change," she said. "We're going to bring it to them. We have the courage to do that. We have the common sense to do that."

Tafoya also discussed fraud cases involving Minnesota state programs, saying the issue is top of mind for voters.

"I know it plays on their minds every single day, not only the fact that they were stolen from but the fact that no one has really been held accountable in the government. No one has been fired, no one has stepped down, so people are wanting accountability and that's what we're promising. People are ready for that."

Tafoya is facing off against eight other candidates in the GOP primary, including former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, who has the Minnesota GOP’s endorsement; and former professional basketball player Royce White.

Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report

Local election officials in Minnesota have accepted 206,196 absentee and mail ballots ahead of Tuesday’s primary, a record for a non-presidential election year, according to the Minnesota secretary of state’s office.

Of the ballots cast early, 99,053 were returned by mail and 107,143 ballots were submitted in-person, the secretary of state's office said.

As of Monday, about 213,000 ballots had not been returned. The deadline for them to be returned is 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who is running for Minnesota governor, is focusing part of her campaign platform on rooting out fraud in the state government.

Klobuchar has previously said she would govern differently from Tim Walz, who became a central target of Republican criticism over fraud after the Feeding Our Future scandal and other cases involving alleged misuse of public funds in Minnesota.

"You are right to be angry about the fraud. It is unacceptable and it must end," Klobuchar said in a speech in May. "On day one, I will begin a top to bottom audit of our state government. That audit will look at state agencies to look at waste, fraud and abuse."

According to her platform, Klobuchar will also establish a "Do Not Pay" database that will "automatically block any individual or contractor convicted of fraud" from receiving grant payments or government contract dollars.

She also committed to increasing the regularity of unannounced inspections of providers who are receiving state funds.

Modernizing the technology the state government uses to catch fraud is another priority of hers.

Klobuchar, who is leaving the U.S. Senate to seek the governor's mansion, is seen as the favorite to win the Democratic primary and would likely face the winner of a five-way Republican primary.

The GOP field includes MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth and former healthcare executive Kendall Qualls.

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., addressed reporters outside her local polling place after voting Tuesday morning, telling them she plans to tackle affordability if she is elected to the U.S. Senate.

In response to a question about what issue she is passionate about outside the agendas held by President Donald Trump and her late brother, Graham said she viewed the rising cost of health care as "extremely important."

"I will work with anybody to get things passed for South Carolina to help South Carolinians. I will not compromise my conservative values," she said.

She also batted away a question from a reporter about the Senate seat supposedly being "handed" to her. Graham was chosen to finish out the remainder of her brother's term by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican.

"I don't see it that way. I'm not being handed this seat. I realize that I have to earn voters, so I'm working really hard to do that. Like I said, I want to spend the next two weeks getting out to as many places as I can," Graham said.

Throughout her brief remarks, Graham made it clear that she believes there will be a runoff on Aug. 25 and that she will be one of the candidates who advance.

She also addressed the fact that it has been a month since the death of Lindsey Graham, who had served in the Senate since 2003.

"It was a little different seeing my name on the ballot. And it's a really special day. Y'all know that unfortunately, today's the 11th. It's been one month since Lindsey's passing, so it's an emotional day, but yet an exciting day," she said.

"My daughter, this is her first time voting," Graham said as she gestured over to her daughter, who was standing near her at the podium. "Her first time voting she gets to vote for her mother."

Among Tuesday’s marquee races is the special election for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, a contest to fill the seat of the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Exactly a month after Lindsey Graham's death from an aortic dissection on July 11, the crowded field of 10 candidates will compete for the Republican nomination for a six-year term in the Senate.

Sen. Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister, announced her candidacy on July 20, one week after taking over her brother’s seat for the remainder of his term.

After winning President Donald Trump's endorsement, Graham has sought to establish herself as aligned with the administration on key priorities, including passing the SAVE Act.

Multiple candidates in the race, including Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., have said they are open to eliminating the Senate filibuster, a move that could make it easier to advance more of Trump’s agenda. Critics have said this would carry political and institutional risks.

Because of the large number of candidates, it is possible that no one receives an outright majority, which would trigger a runoff between the top two vote-getters on Aug. 25.

On Aug. 8, nine of the ten candidates participated in the final stump event for the election in Florence County, where they explained their policies and priorities to voters.

Alabama is holding an unusual special primary election Tuesday in four congressional districts that were substantially redrawn after the Supreme Court’s landmark April ruling weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

The U.S. House primaries in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th districts were postponed from Alabama’s regular May primary after the justices cleared the way for the state to use a Republican-drawn congressional map for the 2026 elections.

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey postponed the primaries for those districts because the Republican-drawn map, proposed by state lawmakers in 2023, changed their boundaries too close to Election Day.

In the 2nd District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures is running for a second term, the Black population will be reduced from half the population to 40% under the new lines.

In the 7th District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell is running for a ninth term, the Black population will continue to be in the slight majority.

Alabama's U.S. House members will serve their current districts through the end of 2026. Candidates in Tuesday's primaries are running to represent the newly drawn districts, which take effect in January 2027.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Minnesota GOP state Rep. Kristin Robbins told Fox News Digital in an interview ahead of the state's Tuesday primary elections that a Republican victory statewide is what's needed to prevent the adoption of DSA-style policies.

She said voters know "that if [Democrats] are given another shot at the governor's office and at the legislature they will finish implementing all the DSA policies they didn't get done the last time they had the trifecta. They want Republican control to be the backstop here in Minnesota on socialism."

Robbins pointed to a Democratic proposal this year to add a fifth tier to Minnesota's four-tier income tax structure. If it had passed, it would have imposed a 10.85% tax rate on income above $1 million for married couples filing jointly and above $600,000 for single filers.

Robbins characterized this as "the first wealth tax in the nation" and said it was a ploy to "solve the deficit that Tim Walz created."

"Our senate is Democrat by one vote and our house is tied. We are the definition of a purple state," Robbins said. "We absolutely can get control of the governor's office and flip the legislature because Minnesotans are fed up."

Robbins said that although DSA ideas are not catching on with the people she talks to in the suburbs of Minnesota, urban areas are more open to them.

"In the urban core where the socialists, the DSA has a foothold, that is what they want. They talk openly about no borders, no incarceration, closing down the prisons," she said. "That's...a message that's not resonating well across the state."

Fox News Digital's Andrew Miller contributed to this report.

MADISON, Wis. – Supporters of Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor Francesca Hong expressed confidence ahead of Tuesday that the far-left progressive and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) can win the Democratic gubernatorial primary on a platform centered on economic relief.

"She's speaking to working-class issues. Everybody's struggling right now. The price of gas is insane. Trying to pay for your groceries is insane, trying to pay your rent is insane," campaign canvasser Josiah Wampfler told Fox News Digital at Hong’s campaign headquarters in Madison. "We're all struggling, and she's presenting solutions to bring down prices and to have improved government programs."

The affordability crisis has plagued many Americans amid rising costs of groceries, housing and healthcare. The House passed legislation — showing a rare display of bipartisanship earlier this year with a 390-9 vote — to deliver policies aimed at growing the supply of affordable housing in the U.S.

Francesca Hong, who is running to be to be the next governor of Wisconsin, suggested to reporters Tuesday that the party needs to coalesce around whoever emerges as the winner of the Democratic primary tonight.

"We need a united party. We are ready to unite not just the party, but working class people all across the state to defeat Tom Tiffany in November," Hong said during a press gaggle. "The Democratic Party, we are a big-tent party, and there's always room for better policies and always room for more people."

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wisc., is considered the favorite to win the Republican gubernatorial primary after receiving President Donald Trump's endorsement in January.

Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America member and a current state representative, slammed Tiffany for being an "election denier," among other things.

"What's extreme is that he has voted to help raise gas prices and make life harder for Wisconsinites," she said about Tiffany.

Hong's main proposals include guaranteed paid leave, boosting the state's minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 per hour, and a one-year moratorium in Wisconsin on building AI data centers.

"I think our policies are ones that are the solutions to deliver for working class people. Permanent affordability so we don't come back to moments like these," she said Tuesday.

She has faced scrutiny over years-old social media posts calling for defunding and abolishing the police, ideas she now says she does not support.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.