Francesca Hong announces campaign for Governor

MADISON, Wis. — State Rep. Francesca Hong (D – Madison) announced her candidacy for Wisconsin Governor today, adding her name to a growing mix of potential nominees for the Democratic party ticket.

Hong has repped Madison in the state Assembly since 2021, when she became the first Asian-American member of the state Legislature.

She’s a chef and first ran for state office to advocate for restaurant workers during the pandemic. Since then she’s campaigned on a progressive, working class platform. 

“A lot of people in [the State Capitol] don’t get why it’s so hard to get by right now. Working hard doesn’t mean you can always keep up. One wrong step can lay you out flat. This is by design,” she said in her first campaign video released this morning.

“I’m a service industry worker, a community organizer, and a single mom. I started out as a line cook, worked my way up to run my own kitchen and eventually my own restaurant. My community sent me to the legislature as a working class person to represent working class people, and that’s what I’ll do as governor,” she added.

In an interview with Civic Media’s Pat Kreitlow this morning, Hong described what she termed “transformative policies:” universal child care, fully-funded public schools, guaranteed paid leave and cheaper healthcare.

So far, the Democratic field of candidates is more crowded than the Republican one. 

Hong is up against another lawmaker from Madison: State Senator Kelda Roys, who announced her run on Monday.

Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Milwaukee businessman Ryan Strnad are also in the mix.

Two Republicans have declared their candidacy: Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, and businessman Bill Berrien. 

The primaries are next August, and the general election will follow a few months later in November.

Hong represents the 76th district in the state Assembly in Dane County, leaving that district open for nominations.

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