{"id":2643694,"date":"2026-08-12T14:20:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T18:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignstop-calling-democrats-moderate-for-hiding-their-socialism-behind-a-bad-haircut\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T14:27:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T18:27:14","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignstop-calling-democrats-moderate-for-hiding-their-socialism-behind-a-bad-haircut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignstop-calling-democrats-moderate-for-hiding-their-socialism-behind-a-bad-haircut\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop Calling Democrats &#8216;Moderate&#8217; For Hiding Their Socialism"},"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\">16<\/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%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignstop-calling-democrats-moderate-for-hiding-their-socialism-behind-a-bad-haircut%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=2643694&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>Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly won the Democratic primary in Wisconsin, defeating socialist Francesca Hong, who gained attention for her far-left views and controversial statements.while some outlets labeled Crowley a moderate, he supports many progressive policies, including repealing Act 10, raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2030, and making abortion a constitutional right. Both candidates oppose ICE cooperation and support welcoming immigrants, with Crowley emphasizing the positive role of immigrants in Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<p>The article argues that labeling Crowley as a moderate is misleading, as his positions are left-leaning, and that the media and political rhetoric frequently enough falsely portray Democrats and thier candidates as moderates to deceive voters. This &#8220;moderate&#8221; myth is compared to similar patterns seen with Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and President Joe Biden,who campaign as centrists but enact progressive policies. The piece concludes that the idea of a &#8220;moderate Democrat&#8221; is a campaign myth used to mask the party&#8217;s true left-wing agenda.  <\/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<div>\n<p>Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly defeated socialist Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary on Tuesday. Hong was best known for saying Thanksgiving should be canceled, the Senate should be dismantled, the police should be abolished, and that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/08\/06\/wisconsin-governor-hopeful-francesca-hong-faces-scrutiny-over-thanksgiving-post\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sight of white people<\/a> inside a fast food restaurant nearly gave her an anxiety attack.<\/p>\n<p>According to outlets like <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/politico\/status\/2087536757822701601?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Politico<\/a>, Hong\u2019s defeat proves moderates are still strong, and that an \u201cemerging insurgency\u201d of socialists is merely an overhyped narrative being peddled. Of course accepting Politico\u2019s spiel requires you to also accept its central premise: that Crowley is a moderate.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a label that has already taken hold. X user Polimath <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/politicalmath\/status\/2087519504456733111?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted<\/a>: \u201cCrowley is going to run away with this election specifically because the left was clowning on him for being a reasonable moderate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Breaking911 <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Breaking911\/status\/2087524090173067582?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted<\/a> on X: \u201cModerate David Crowley defeats far-left socialist Francesca Hong in Wisconsin\u2019s closely watched Democratic primary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Crowley is no \u201cmoderate.\u201d Just because he hasn\u2019t called for the abolition of Thanksgiving, the Senate, and the police doesn\u2019t make him \u201cmoderate,\u201d and calling him that only helps left-wing ideology win. On the policies that actually matter, Crowley and Hong were separated more by tone than actual substance.<\/p>\n<p>Like <a href=\"https:\/\/francescahong.com\/policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hong,<\/a> Crowley <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jsonline.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2026\/08\/04\/crowley-gets-union-endorsements-in-effort-to-boost-governor-campaign\/91164293007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=true&#038;gca-epti=z114947p117950l004450c117950u002247e1149xxv114947&#038;gca-ft=198&#038;gca-ds=sophi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supports<\/a> \u201crepealing Act 10,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/pbswisconsin.org\/news-item\/what-to-know-about-wisconsins-act-10-and-the-2024-court-battle-over-the-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legislation<\/a> that curtailed collective bargaining powers for a lot of government unions and capped pay raises for public employees at the rate of inflation (unless <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.legis.wisconsin.gov\/statutes\/statutes\/66\/v\/0506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">overridden<\/a> by local government vote). Both politicians support artificially raising the minimum wage, with Crowley pledging to increase it to <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidCCrowley\/status\/2041198308400546252?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$15 per hour<\/a> immediately, and then<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/08\/12\/us\/elections\/wisconsin-governor-democratic-primary-hong-crowley.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/08\/12\/us\/elections\/wisconsin-governor-democratic-primary-hong-crowley.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$20 per hour by 2030.<\/a><strong> <\/strong>Hong supported <a href=\"https:\/\/francescahong.com\/policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">raising <\/a>the minimum wage to $20 per hour as well.<\/p>\n<p>Crowley <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidCCrowley\/status\/2069775581562991022?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supports<\/a> making abortion a constitutional right in Wisconsin. Hong similarly <a href=\"https:\/\/francescahong.com\/policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supported<\/a> putting abortion access into the state constitution. Both have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisn.com\/article\/crowley-says-he-doesnt-see-any-scenario-where-he-would-work-with-ice\/70271489\">expres<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisn.com\/article\/crowley-says-he-doesnt-see-any-scenario-where-he-would-work-with-ice\/70271489\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sed<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/francescahong.com\/policy\/keep-families-together\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">opposition<\/a> to local law enforcement cooperation with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jsonline.com\/story\/news\/local\/2026\/06\/30\/milwaukee-county-explores-legal-action-against-ice-as-arrests-surge\/90757534007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=true&#038;gca-epti=z116047p116950l003750c116950u004147e1143xxv116047&#038;gca-ft=211&#038;gca-ds=sophi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ICE<\/a>, which in many cases puts ICE officers\u2019 lives in danger and makes the job significantly difficult. Crowley has said he cannot envision \u201cany scenario\u201d in which he would work with ICE, while Milwaukee County under his leadership has even looked into legal action against the agency. <\/p>\n<p>Crowley has also stressed that the door should remain wide open for mass migration. In<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidCCrowley\/status\/2085180257775083981?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> a <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidCCrowley\/status\/2085180257775083981?s=20\">post on X<\/a> accompanied by a video of a woman asking how he would protect illegal aliens, Crowley said, \u201cEvery generation of immigrants has made Wisconsin stronger. I\u2019m not interested in shutting that door. As Governor, I\u2019ll keep welcoming new Wisconsinites and build communities that work for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Crowley may be less radical than Hong, but being less radical than a racist, anti-American Marxist doesn\u2019t make you a moderate. On unions, wages, abortion, and immigration, Crowley\u2019s positions are decidedly left-wing. The only real big distinction is he hasn\u2019t said he hates Thanksgiving or called for abolishing the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>But what the press and even regular people are doing is allowing Democrats to redefine \u201cmoderate\u201d to mean basically anyone standing even half a step to the right of their most extreme member. Once the standard is set, the entire \u201cmoderate\u201d claim becomes merely a campaign myth meant to deceive voters into electing an actual leftist who cosplays as a moderate but will still deliver Democrats\u2019 overall left-wing policy goals.<\/p>\n<p>Worse is when Republicans and right-leaning commentators repeat the \u201cmoderate\u201d label, for they\u2019re only helping Democrats sell left-wing candidates to swing voters. Most voters aren\u2019t going to sit down and study Crowley\u2019s position on everything. They\u2019ll see a man who <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kenklippenstein\/status\/2085508532317655182?s=20\">says<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kenklippenstein\/status\/2085508532317655182?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">  things<\/a> like \u201cwe have to listen to independents and Republicans because we [Democrats] don\u2019t have a monopoly on good ideas\u201d and hear outlets like Politico and so many others label him a \u201cmoderate\u201d and assume that means he will govern as a moderate.<\/p>\n<p>But Democrats have run this very playbook already, with all-too-inevitable results.<\/p>\n<p>Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger campaigned as a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/17\/virginia-gov-spanberger-claimed-she-was-a-moderate-but-is-governing-as-a-radical\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moderate<\/a> focused on <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/01\/20\/taxing-lawnmowers-gym-passes-and-doordash-proves-dems-actually-hate-affordability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">affordability<\/a> but has been anything <em>but<\/em> moderate and affordable. Since taking office she has embraced tax hikes on everyday items, signed away Virginia\u2019s Electoral College votes to the popular vote winner (in other words, Virginians lose their voice to Californians and New Yorkers), and supported efforts that tried to rig rural Virginians out of representation in a mid-year redistricting battle.<\/p>\n<p>The leftist-cosplaying-as-a-moderate playbook is rather successful; Joe Biden ran it too. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2020\/08\/16\/902640265\/joe-bidens-long-and-rocky-road-to-the-democratic-nomination\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NPR<\/a> wrote in 2020 that Biden has \u201cbeen generally moderate to center-left, and while he has moved toward Sanders and Warren on health care and other issues \u2026 big differences remain.\u201d A YouGov <a href=\"https:\/\/yougov.com\/en-us\/articles\/31434-america-sees-joe-biden-moderate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poll<\/a> from 2020 found \u201cAmerica sees Joe Biden as a moderate.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But Biden was anything <em>but<\/em> moderate. He signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, which was the largest climate boondoggle in U.S. history and ultimately fueled runaway inflation; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pete-buttigieg-predicts-more-supply-chain-problems-because-of-bidens-economic-success-heres-what-the-experts-say\/\" title=\"Pete Buttigieg Predicts More Supply Chain Problems Because Of ...\u2019s Economic Success \u2014 Here\u2019s What The Experts Say\">extended pandemic-related unemployment benefits<\/a> in the American Rescue Plan; rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement; unconstitutionally tried to end student debt; and most importantly, he opened the southern border for four years and let millions of illegal aliens into the country, incentivized illegal immigration, and strained cities struggling with the influx.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, even when Democrats claim to be \u201cmoderate,\u201d they are anything but. The \u201cmoderate Democrat\u201d is a campaign myth, and Crowley is the latest \u201cmoderate\u201d Democrat to don the moniker to mislead voters.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Crowley narrowly beats socialist Hong in Wisconsin primary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2643695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-12.12.49-PM-scaled-e1786551291162-1024x577.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33567,3685,84055,84054,12428],"class_list":["post-2643694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-american-politics","tag-democrats","tag-partisan-discourse","tag-political-labeling","tag-socialism"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-12.12.49-PM-scaled-e1786551291162-1024x577.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643694","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\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2643694"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2643702,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643694\/revisions\/2643702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2643695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2643694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2643694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2643694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}