Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley edged out Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong by fewer than 3,200 votes in Wisconsin's gubernatorial primary, a narrow defeat that halts the progressive left's recent momentum in key battleground races.

Hong, a card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a state lawmaker, entered the August 11 primary as the frontrunner in nearly every public poll, some showing double-digit leads. She walked away with 39.4 percent of the vote to Crowley's 39.8 percent, a margin of just 0.41 percentage points out of more than 787,000 ballots cast, CBN News reported.

The result marks a clear rebuke of the Democratic Party's far-left flank in a state both parties need in November. And it came despite, or perhaps because of, a peculiar assist from the other side of the aisle.

Republican super PACs spent $3.5 million trying to boost Hong

Pro-GOP super PACs poured roughly $3.5 million into the primary to prop up Hong's candidacy, National Review reported. The strategy was straightforward: Republican operatives believed Hong's record of radical positions would make her the weakest possible opponent for GOP nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election. Hong's own total campaign fundraising amounted to less than a third of what Republican groups spent on her behalf.

The gamble never paid off. Democratic establishment figures rallied behind Crowley as the moderate alternative, and voters followed.

Crowley himself drew the sharpest contrast during the campaign. In a line that captured the establishment's anxiety, he told voters plainly:

"She is a self-proclaimed socialist. There are a lot of people worried about not just this party, but this country moving in that direction."

Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod was less diplomatic. He called Hong "a font of zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica," the New York Post reported.

Hong's deleted posts and reversals caught up with her

Hong's troubles traced back to a string of resurfaced social media posts and public statements that became impossible to outrun. She had previously called for abolishing the police, canceling Thanksgiving, which she labeled a "celebration of colonialism", banning data centers, and setting up public grocery stores. On X, she posted a now-deleted message reading: "Should have done this in 1621."

In a recent interview, she tried to reverse course entirely:

"My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Yep, I don't want to cancel it. I actually love it."

The walk-back convinced few. Even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, herself a member of the Democratic Socialists of America's New York City chapter, kept her distance from Hong's campaign. On NBC's Meet the Press, Ocasio-Cortez offered a telling assessment of Hong's earlier rhetoric:

"She's moved away from it, and I have a local city councilman that has this uh, saying, 'woke one was crazy.'"

When a candidate's own ideological allies refuse to vouch for her, the voters tend to notice. Major progressive figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders also notably kept their distance from Hong's bid.

The day after her loss, Hong endorsed Crowley and framed her campaign as a movement rather than a personal quest for office. "Congratulations to David Crowley and his team. I fully support him and look forward to working with him to defeat Congressman Tiffany in November," she said in a statement reported by Just The News.

Wisconsin's outgoing Gov. Tony Evers threw his weight behind the winner. "I am so proud of David, he's the future of our Party, and I can't wait for him to be our next governor," Evers said.

Crowley's campaign manager, Garren Randolph, cast the victory in broad-coalition terms: "David is focused on bringing people together, earning the support of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and anyone who believes Wisconsin is at its best when we work together and deliver results."

The Democratic establishment's coordinated effort to stop Hong in Wisconsin fits a broader pattern of party leadership maneuvering behind the scenes when the left's activist wing threatens to steer the brand into unelectable territory.

Minnesota's primaries split between progressive and establishment lanes

Across the border in Minnesota, the progressive wing notched a win of its own. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated establishment candidate Angie Craig in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Flanagan will face a Republican opponent in November for a seat both parties consider competitive.

On the Republican side, My Pillow founder Mike Lindell lost the Minnesota gubernatorial primary to Lisa Demuth. CBN News reported that Demuth will face Amy Klobuchar, the former presidential candidate and sitting U.S. Senator, in the November general election for governor, though the article did not explain whether Klobuchar has formally entered the governor's race or left her Senate seat.

The mixed results across the two states suggest the Democratic left's strength varies sharply depending on the state, the candidate, and how much baggage the progressive standard-bearer carries into the race.

Darline Graham advances in South Carolina's emotional Senate runoff

In South Carolina, a different kind of primary played out. Darline Graham advanced to a runoff in the special Republican primary to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. The article did not specify when Lindsey Graham died or name the other candidates in the field.

Graham's victory speech carried the weight of personal loss. Standing where she once celebrated alongside her brother, she told supporters:

"I want to say that this is a very emotional night because I'm usually standing here celebrating with Lindsey, so I know he's looking down right now, smiling."

The South Carolina runoff will determine who carries the Graham name, and the seat, forward for the Republican Party in a state that has long been a conservative stronghold. The broader trajectory of Democratic leadership in cities and statehouses across the country gives Republicans reason to believe the general election landscape favors candidates who reject the progressive playbook.

A 0.41-point margin carries an outsized message

Hong's loss broke what CBN News described as "a string of victories for far-left Democrat candidates in recent months." The streak had given Democratic Socialists of America real momentum heading into 2026. Wisconsin stopped it cold, by a fraction of a percentage point.

But the margin itself tells a cautionary tale for both parties. Hong came within 3,200 votes of winning a major battleground state's gubernatorial nomination despite calling for abolishing police, canceling a national holiday, and embracing socialism by name. The Democratic establishment needed every dollar and every endorsement to stop her. Republican groups, meanwhile, spent millions trying to install the very candidate they now claim to oppose.

Voters in Wisconsin chose the candidate who could win a general election over the one who checked every activist box. That used to be the ordinary course of politics. The fact that it now qualifies as an upset says more about where the Democratic Party has drifted than any poll ever could.