Politiek · GOP $3M Push · ArchiefAs Barnes Exits, GOP $3M Push Puts Police-Abolition Democrat Atop Wisconsin PrimaryGeschreven 7 september 2026 om 21:22 UTCKijkenTranscript0:00Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor0:01Mandela Barnes dropped his bid for0:03governor on Thursday, scrambling the0:05Democratic field less than 2 weeks0:06before the August 11th primary. His exit0:09leaves two main contenders. Democratic0:12Socialist lawmaker Francesca Hong, who0:14has led recent polls, and Milwaukee0:16County Executive David Crowley.0:18Republicans have spent approximately $30:20million0:21to boost Hong's candidacy in the0:23Democratic primary, a strategic bet that0:25she will be easier to defeat in0:27November. But that money is now0:29resurfacing Hong's past statements on0:30policing. In 2020 and 2021, she posted0:34support for defunding the police,0:36calling it a first step towards0:37abolishing the police, and writing that0:39reform can't be an option. Asked by CNN0:42whether her views have evolved, Hong did0:44not give a direct yes or no. She now0:46says she cannot defund the police as0:47governor, and instead wants to fully0:49fund and invest in community programs.0:51She cited a police shooting on Madison's0:53Willy Street, prison worker suicide0:55rates, and the fact that 99% of0:57incarcerated people eventually return to0:59their communities. Hong is also tackling1:02questions about her affiliation with the1:03Democratic Socialists of America. She1:05told CNN she pays DSA dues, but noted1:08her Madison chapter did not pursue the1:10national DSA endorsement, and she does1:12not agree with everything in the1:13national platform. The CNN host pointed1:16out she does not support abolishing the1:17Senate, the Defense Department, or the1:19Supreme Court, all part of the DSA1:22platform. Hong's platform includes1:24permanent affordability measures,1:25healthy school meals, raising the1:27minimum wage, paid leave, fairer and1:29cheaper health care, affordable housing,1:31and a public bank. She has also1:33introduced legislation for a moratorium1:35on AI data center construction, calling1:37it a deeply bipartisan issue.1:39She leveled sharp attacks at her likely1:41Republican opponent Tom Tiffany, calling1:43him an election denier, a pedophile1:45protector, and Mr. Mining.1:48Tiffany, for his part, told a reporter1:50he is one of us, framing himself as1:52someone who grew up in Wisconsin, raised1:54his family there, and ran a small1:56business.1:57The Democratic primary is August 11th.2:00With Barnes out and Republican money2:01flowing into the race on Hong's behalf,2:03Wisconsin Democrats face an urgent2:05question: Whether the current polling2:07leader can win in November against a GOP2:09that has already signaled exactly how it2:11plans to define her.Lees het artikelTijdlijn van het verhaalHeyDexDe korte video ↗
