State Rep. Francesca Hong, a Madison Democrat and member of the Assembly’s Socialist Caucus, is running in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, as Gov. Tony Evers has said he will not seek a third term. The winner will advance to the Nov. 3 general election, where U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is seeking the Republican nomination and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
State Rep. Francesca Hong, a Democrat from Madison first elected in 2020, is running for Wisconsin governor in the state’s Aug. 11, 2026, partisan primary.
Hong has described her candidacy as an argument for a more openly progressive approach in a battleground state. In an earlier interview about her campaign, she backed proposals such as universal child care and other policies aimed at working-class voters.
Hong is also a member of the Wisconsin Assembly’s Socialist Caucus, according to an Associated Press profile.
On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is running for governor and, after receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump in late January, faces only limited opposition for the GOP nomination following the exit of Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.
The general election for governor is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
“We’re meeting a moment that requires a movement and not an establishment candidate,” Hong said when announcing her rationale for running, according to the Associated Press.
