Wisconsin Democrats watched a presumed socialist coronation collapse early Wednesday as Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly defeated state Representative Francesca Hong in the party primary for governor.
The upset instantly became one of the most surprising results of the 2026 midterm cycle, as reported [1] by Trending Politics News.
With more than 95 percent of ballots reported, Crowley had secured 313,321 votes, or 39.78 percent.
Democrat Socialist Francesca Hong has been DEFEATED by David Crowley in the Wisconsin Governor Primary pic.twitter.com/s7nDSzCNj7 [2]
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 12, 2026 [3]
Hong received 310,110 votes, or 39.37 percent, leaving the candidates separated by roughly 3,211 votes when the Associated Press called the race shortly before 4 a.m. Eastern Time.
Hong entered election night as the heavy favorite after winning enthusiastic support from the Democratic Party’s far-left factions.
The Madison lawmaker openly styled herself as a Democratic Socialist and attracted backing from controversial online personality Hasan Piker.
The polling suggested Hong was cruising toward victory. A Marquette University survey released in late July showed her at 38 percent among Democratic primary voters, while Crowley was languishing at just seven percent.
When voters leaning toward a candidate were included, Hong climbed to 46 percent, and Crowley reached only 11 percent.
Those numbers painted the picture of a runaway socialist victory, but Wisconsin voters had other plans once actual ballots replaced polling projections.
Another survey from State Navigate, conducted from August 3 through August 6, placed Hong at 44 percent among likely Democratic primary voters.
Crowley stood at 22 percent, still trailing by a daunting margin during the closing stretch of the campaign.
Crowley’s path to victory was especially remarkable because his campaign appeared finished weeks earlier.
The Milwaukee County executive initially suspended his bid after struggling with polling and fundraising, then briefly endorsed Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez.
That changed when Rodriguez ended her campaign amid campaign finance issues.
Crowley jumped back into the race on July 18 and later received the prized endorsement of retiring Governor Tony Evers, giving his revived operation a badly needed boost.
Former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes suspended his campaign on July 30, further reshaping the contest.
His departure left Crowley and Hong as the dominant contenders, with state Senator Kelda Roys and former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan remaining in the field.
Roys finished with approximately 7.5 percent of the vote, while Brennan received about 4.7 percent.
Several candidates who had already withdrawn, including Barnes and Rodriguez, remained on the ballot and collected smaller shares.
The race remained tight throughout election night, with reporting delays adding another layer of drama.
A controversial USB error in Milwaukee County slowed the process, but Crowley’s thin advantage survived after those ballots and other outstanding votes were added.
All results remain unofficial until certification is completed in the coming weeks.
The margin was close enough for Hong to request a recount, yet her campaign chose to concede early Wednesday morning rather than extend the socialist heartbreak.
Crowley will now face Republican United States Representative Tom Tiffany in the November general election.
Tiffany dominated the Republican primary with approximately 95 percent of the vote, avoiding anything resembling the chaotic Democratic scramble.
Polling conducted before the primary suggested Crowley could be competitive against Tiffany.
An RMG Research survey from late July placed Crowley at 46 percent and Tiffany at 43 percent, though the primary results offered another reminder that polling is not the same thing as counting votes.
For Wisconsin Democrats, the outcome denied the party’s socialist wing a major statewide breakthrough.
For Republicans, it sets up a clear November contest against a Democrat who survived by barely slipping past a candidate once portrayed as nearly unbeatable.