(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s Democratic race for governor continues to grow after Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, jumped into the race Wednesday.
“In 2020, I made history as the first Asian American elected to the Wisconsin State Legislature,” Hong wrote in a campaign announcement on X. “Since then, I’ve fought like hell for working families – and now, I’m ready to take that fight to the next level.”
Hong represents Madison’s isthmus and is a member of both the Democratic Socialists of America and the Wisconsin Assembly’s Socialist Caucus. She is often considered one of Wisconsin’s most progressive lawmakers.
“We don’t have the billionaire class behind us,” Hong added on X. “We have something stronger: people who believe Wisconsin should work for all of us – not just the wealthy few.”
Hong is a chef and bartender and owned a restaurant in Madison until it closed during COVID. She is making her work history a large part of her campaign kickoff.
“I’m the daughter of immigrants,” she wrote. “I built my career in the service industry – as a chef, a small business owner, and a community organizer. I know what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck. To scramble for child care. To lose sleep because of bills piling up.”
Hong is just the latest Democrat to jump into the race, including the second this week.
She now joins Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, state Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as the major candidates in the race.
They are all running to see who will replace Gov. Tony Evers as the Democratic candidate next year.
There are two official Republican candidates. Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and businessman Bill Berrien are the only GOOP candidates so far.
