Fox News anchor Dana Perino on Friday, July 31st, 2026, questioned Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary front-runner in the Wisconsin governor’s race, about her association with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and her previous comments on law enforcement.

Hong, who has been a member of the Madison, Wisconsin chapter of the DSA since 2020, faced scrutiny over social media posts from that year where she called to “defund the police” and supported defunding police "as a first step towards abolishing the police."

In response during the interview on "America’s Newsroom," Hong said she believes "people can evolve" and clarified, "The governor cannot defund the police, and I won’t defund the police. But I will invest in the things we know prevent crime. … We have to be tough on causes if we want to prevent crime."

Hong also addressed past statements in which she supported abolishing the Senate and the U.S. Supreme Court, stating she no longer holds those positions.

She emphasized her bipartisan coalition, saying, "I’m more defined by being a good single mom, that I’m a service industry worker, that I truly believe in legislation that helps everyone. And these are the things that people want to talk about in rural and urban parts of the state."

The current governor, Tony Evers, has served since 2019. A Marquette University Law School poll from earlier in July 2026 found Republican candidate Tiffany leading Hong by three points in a hypothetical November matchup.

Sources