Wisconsin Democrat Francesca Hong Faces Scrutiny Over Resurfaced Comments on Race and Whiteness
Wisconsin State Assembly member and Democratic socialist gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong is facing intense public scrutiny over a series of resurfaced social media posts and past interview comments regarding race and whiteness. The controversy highlights growing tensions within progressive political campaigns as they engage broader national movements ahead of upcoming elections.
Resurfaced Race Commentary Draws Sharp Criticism
The renewed debate centers on comments Hong made during a 2021 interview with ListenMKE, where she discussed the complexities of raising her biracial son. “My proximity to whiteness continues, right… My son is biracial. He is half-white and half-Korean. I think navigating what his identity is and how people perceive him is always at the back of my mind as well,” Hong stated during the broadcast.
Critics quickly mobilized across social media platforms following the resurfacing of those remarks alongside older X posts. Fox News Political Analyst Guy Benson characterized the commentary as “weirdo racism,” while Fox News contributor Paul Mauro wrote on X that the candidate was “not well.” Rick Esenberg, president of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, added that “it must be exhausting to have to think like this.” Fox News Digital reached out to Hong’s campaign regarding the backlash but did not receive an immediate response.
Additional scrutiny has focused on posts from 2018 and 2019 in which Hong recounted interactions with customers at her former restaurant and described encounters with older white individuals inquiring about her background. In a July 2019 post detailing a visit to a Culver’s restaurant in Black River Falls, she wrote about leaving abruptly due to anxiety around patrons “who didn’t think we spoke English.” Another October 2021 post regarding law enforcement stated, “Police exist to uphold white supremacy. Defund then abolish. Reform can’t be an option.”
Campaign Alignment and the Photo ID Controversy
The criticism arrives as Hong campaigns alongside prominent progressive figures, including Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar and socialist commentator Hasan Piker. That national alignment has provided ammunition for political opponents who argue that progressive policies have drifted too far from mainstream voter concerns.
A joint campaign rally held on a Sunday drew immediate accusations of hypocrisy after organizers required attendees to present photo identification for entry. Critics noted the requirement stands in stark contrast to progressive opposition toward voter identification and citizenship verification measures, such as the federal SAVE Act.
Wisconsin GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany criticized the policy on social media, writing, “Add this to the growing list of Fran Flip-Flops: @FrancescaHongWI opposes voter ID, yet she’s requiring photo ID for her event with Ilhan Omar. You can’t make this up.” Matt Henkel, deputy director of political development for Americans for Prosperity, echoed those sentiments online by calling the gathering’s entry rules “draconian for voting, required for socialist gatherings.”
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