{"id":2643311,"date":"2026-08-11T18:43:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T22:43:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wisconsin-democrats-plan-unity-tour-after-intense-gubernatorial-primary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T18:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T22:48:10","slug":"wisconsin-democrats-plan-unity-tour-after-intense-gubernatorial-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wisconsin-democrats-plan-unity-tour-after-intense-gubernatorial-primary\/","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin Democrats plan unity tour after intense gubernatorial primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwisconsin-democrats-plan-unity-tour-after-intense-gubernatorial-primary%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2643311&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Wisconsin Democrats are planning a statewide unity tour immediately after their recent primary, aiming to move past internal divisions and present a united front. The initial event is a Wednesday breakfast with key democratic leaders Tammy Baldwin, Mark Pocan, and likely Governor Tony Evers, followed by a rally in Milwaukee with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. This effort responds to a contentious primary marked by clashes between progressive and centrist Democrats regarding the party\u2019s future, especially in a state narrowly carried by Trump in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Francesca Hong, a self-described socialist, has emerged as the front-runner despite some resistance from moderate Democrats. She leads with about 26% support in polls, with other candidates like Crowley and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes trailing. Hong faces scrutiny over her national progressive ties,as prominent figures like alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have not endorsed her,and she has made controversial social media posts. She has distanced herself from these comments. <\/p>\n<p>Candidates are also focusing on electability ahead of the upcoming general election against Republican Tom Tiffany. While Hong has expressed willingness to campaign for the Democratic nominee if she wins, Evers and Crowley remain noncommittal about endorsing her should she become the nominee, emphasizing the importance of uniting to win in November.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wisconsin <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"249\">Democrats<\/a> are planning a statewide unity tour immediately after Tuesday\u2019s gubernatorial <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primary\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2520\">primary<\/a> as the party seeks to turn the page on a chaotic and ideologically divisive contest, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/08\/11\/francesca-hong-wisconsin-aoc-bernie-progressive-01031466\">according<\/a> to <em>Politico<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first stop is expected to be a breakfast on Wednesday morning featuring the Democratic ticket, Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tammy-baldwin\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1080\">Tammy Baldwin<\/a> (D-WI), and Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-pocan\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"5801\">Mark Pocan<\/a> (D-WI). Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tony-evers\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"3062\">Tony Evers<\/a> (D-WI) is also reportedly likely to attend. A rally is planned for Milwaukee on Wednesday evening, with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley expected to participate even if he loses the primary.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4683328\/mikie-sherrill-supports-voter-id-law\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mikie Sherrill supports voter ID laws after glitch registers over 6,000 immigrants<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4683518\/wisconsin-democrats-unity-tour-governor-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Wisconsin Democrats plan unity tour to turn page on intense gubernatorial primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4682885\/katie-hobbs-running-mate-john-giles-arizona-gubernatorial-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Katie Hobbs selects former Republican Mesa mayor as running mate<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The effort comes after a contentious primary in which progressive and centrist Democrats clashed over the party\u2019s direction and whether a more progressive candidate can win statewide in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wisconsin\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"239\">Wisconsin<\/a>, which President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> narrowly carried in 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/francesca-hong\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"23344\">Francesca Hong<\/a>, a self-described socialist, emerged as the front-runner despite resistance from some centrist Democrats. The race has been fluid, with several candidates entering and exiting the contest in the weeks leading up to the primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes both ended their campaigns, leaving Crowley, who has the backing of the retiring Evers, as Hong\u2019s primary challenger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A late July Marquette Law School <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/law.marquette.edu\/poll\/2026\/07\/22\/marquette-law-school-poll-finds-almost-half-of-democratic-primary-voters-undecided-amid-rapid-shifts-in-the-race-for-the-gubernatorial-nomination\/\">poll<\/a> found <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4659456\/wisconsin-governor-primary-democratic-party-proxy-war\/\">Hong leading<\/a> the Democratic field with 26% support. Barnes, who was still in the race when the survey was conducted, had 16%, while Crowley had 7%. About 34% of Democratic primary voters remained undecided.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hong has also faced questions about her standing with the national progressive movement. Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/alexandria-ocasio-cortez\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"282\">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) and Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bernie-sanders\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"41\">Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) have not endorsed her, despite backing progressive candidates in other races. Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elizabeth-warren\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"250\">Elizabeth Warren<\/a> (D-MA), asked about Hong during a brief hallway interview, said, \u201cI don\u2019t know her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hong has also faced criticism over <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4676618\/francesca-hong-thanksgiving-favorite-holiday\/\">past social media posts<\/a> calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving and defunding the police. She has since distanced herself from those comments, describing them as \u201cbad takes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the primary nearing its conclusion, electability has been a central concern for Democrats as candidates seek to demonstrate that they can assemble a broad coalition capable of defeating presumptive Republican nominee Tom Tiffany in November.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked Saturday whether she would endorse and campaign for Crowley if he won the primary, she said \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The sitting governor, however, declined Friday to commit to endorsing or campaigning alongside Hong if she wins the nomination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI want to have a chance to take a breath, and once that\u2019s in a position, we\u2019ll see,\u201d Evers said. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4681456\/wisconsin-gubernatorial-primary-dsa-socialism-francesca-hong\/\">FRANCESCA HONG WANTS TO BE THE DSA\u2019S FIRST GOVERNOR. TUESDAY MAY BRING HER CLOSER TO THE GOAL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crowley was similarly noncommittal when asked whether he would campaign for Hong this fall if she wins the nomination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAsk her that too,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to be very clear: I\u2019m not in this race running against any of my opponents. I\u2019m running for the votes of Wisconsinites, and if they don\u2019t choose me to be the nominee, my job is to make sure that it\u2019s blue no matter who.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wisconsin Democrats plan unity tour after primary to heal divisions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4195,"featured_media":2643312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26204068355532.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,56854,5894,84011,4124],"class_list":["post-2643311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-gubernatorial-primary","tag-politics","tag-unity-tour","tag-wisconsin"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26204068355532.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4195"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2643311"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2643315,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643311\/revisions\/2643315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2643312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2643311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2643311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2643311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}