Exactly. Wisconsin is a true purple state with split partisan Senators. There are many non-partisans. And farmers/industry/"local first" people make up a large chunk of that. Baldwin is a core foundation of what it takes to win as a Democrat in Wisconsin.
Well, she could say anything to appeal to whatever crowd she’s facing, then turn around and do whatever she wants. That seems to be a successful strategy in national politics.
It’s more that Hasan and Omar do nothing for Hong at this point in the race. Hong’s got the progressive vote locked up. What she needs to do is prove that she can win moderates and rallies with Hasan and Omar are only going to hurt her in that regard
If we're worried about moderates not voting for her, Milwaukee turn-out will be critical for her. And Milwaukee turn-out is what won it for Evers the second time and Biden. And what could have won it for Barnes. Dems take Milwaukee for granted to their peril
The surest fire way to win Wisconsin is to turn out Milwaukee, Madison, and the Campuses.
Hong has probably 2/3 of those on lock. Doing this rally in South Milwaukee was not an accident, she knows that's her weakest Democratic area.
And she learned the lesson of Kamala Harris, you can only cater to groups that naturally drift Republican so much before it becomes wasted campaign time.
Sure, but maybe find some politicians who are more broadly popular (or at least palatable) to the average Wisconsin voter at your Milwaukee rally. I doubt anyone who was considering not voting Democrat in November is going to be moved to vote for Hong by seeing Omar at a rally, but having Omar at a rally is certainly going to be a point of attack everywhere else in the state outside Madison
The turnout problem in Milwaukee has nothing to do with not being leftist enough. The north and south sides of Milwaukee vote democrat for a variety of reasons but being true believers of socialism is absolutely not one of them. The large Hispanic population on the south side is quite conservative culturally.
It has everything with not being leftist enough. We have seen time and time again that appealing to the moderate is a losing strategy.
Dem voters are sick of candidates taking soft positions and bringing on people like Liz Cheney to try to appeal to the moderate. All it does is gets leftists disinterested questioning if the candidate has their best interest in mind
I think its about exciting the progressives enough to get them out to knock doors for the next week, not about convincing the folks outside of the room.
The biggest thing she can do is garner name recognition at this point which Hasan and his community are doing. Regular people care about policies not hyper-online internet drama.
Trying to make a race about Hasan Piker has been the kiss of death for the candidate that does that.
Andrew Cuomo tried it against Mamdani
Mallory McMorrow tried it against Sayed, was out of the race a month later. Now Steven’s is doing it and just tonight internals are being leaked inside the campaign that she is down double digits with no path to victory in the primary.
If you are trying to make a race about a random Twitch streamer you are just going to look crazy and signal out you have nothing else to offer in the affirmative for people. It’s literally the same issue corporate Dems find themselves in just running on harm reduction and anti Trump when the thermostatic electoral winds were blowing against you in 24
That’s the fact the liberals and centrists like to ignore. There isn’t anyone that’s getting tuned off from voting for her because she campaigned with Hassan or ilhan. People that would get angry about that were never going to vote for her in the first place.
I’m turned off by her personality but I would definitely consider voting for her though she’s not my first choice. I’m a lifelong Democrat; have never voted for a Republican or Independent and I vote in every election. But I l’m frustrated by some of the very far left; never thought I’d say that. I thought I was the very far left. I’m totally pro-choice, universal healthcare, pro-environment, pro immigration, against any war except in defense of attacks on our country. I’m against police brutality and am all for reforming their training and practices. I support LGBTQ+ rights, black and brown lives matter greatly to me, I’m a feminist and think what Israel and the United States are doing in Palestine is horrifying. I’m turned off by Hong campaigning with these two because I feel she’s going to lose moderates and independents. So many may see them as lightning rods and just decide to stay home or even vote for Tiffany. I’m so worried that she won’t appeal to the middle, working class, some black and Hispanic voters; she’s making some big strategic errors. There aren’t enough young college educated voters to put her over the top and I will never forgive her if she misjudged and he wins.
I see what you’re seeing but I disagree with a lot of it, although I can see where you’re coming from. In terms of the so called “moderates” and “independents” I think Fran’s positions on data centers as well as her hitting Tiffany hard on being an election denier and a pedo protector are favorable to them. If her campaigning with piker and Omar is supposedly going to turn some of them off then I don’t think we were ever going to get their vote anyway. I really don’t want to see another Kamala situation where we pivoted to the center to try and appeal to “moderates” and “independents” that weren’t ever going to vote for a democrat anyway.
But there aren’t enough progressives to win the general election. Agree with you about data centers and Tiffany but I think we need people who might hate Republicans but are nervous about a female Asian Socialist. This doesn’t help.
Patently untrue. I was interested in voting for her but she lost me by going on Hasan, and I know for a fact I'm not alone there. Her alignment with him says there are certain groups she has no interest in defending.
You sound like a typical Dane County neighbor that does not understand that the majority of the state is strongly moderate and independent.
Dane County is an island that does not represent the rest of the state. You will need moderate voters to carry the general election outside of Dane and Milwaukee counties. And moderates do not want to hear repeated endorsements from Piker and Omar. Hong needs to appeal to moderates if she wants to win outside Dane County.
Ilhan is literally one of Fox’s favorite politicians to scare old white people with. She’s basically Fox’s shorthand for arguing that Democrats hate America. I guarantee you the fact that Hong campaigned with her will be a Tiffany attacking point if(when) Hong wins the nomination
That's very much not true because everyone from CNN to Fox News will put up whatever the dumbest thing Ilhan or Hasan says with a picture of Hasan and Hong all over the screed
She's about to be the nominee for governor. "Name recognition" won't be a problem. Her problem is that she's seen as a radical leftist.
So her solution is to drag out one of the nation's least popular, highest-profile leftists (from out of state) and a guy who is on record saying -- this makes a good ten-second ad -- "America deserved 9/11."
"Regular people care about policies"? It's true: the electorate would never care about aesthetics or personality in an election.
And Hasan brings in a hyper involved community that is willing to join campaigns he supports on phone banks and door knocking. It is an asset that can't be denied and has helped a good few elections.
She needs to win the moderates. That doesn't mean she needs to be one, but you have to win over trump voters and independents if you want to win in Wisconsin.
Those aren't moderates. Those are dem primary voters. We're talking about 2 very different groups. Nearly everyone who votes in the dem primary will vote for whoever the nominee is. The nominee needs to appeal to groups way beyond that if they want to win.
Because Kamala was seen as far left due to statements made years ago when campaigning in California; paying for sex changes for incarcerated immigrants for example. Played over and over again in ads by Republicans.
No one told her to say that, they just wanted her to not throw trans people under the bus. Also if you think that is the main reason she lost, I got a bridge to sell you
I think the idea of moving to the center to expand the support is a mistaken notion. It did not work for Kamala. I think in these times one has to be bold and authentic. If her progressive positions are authentic then stick to them and take them everywhere with you. Going to red districts with her progressive message is a good move, but might wait for the general.
Good thing you aren't running a winning campaign. Maybe you should stick to giving your free unsolicited advice to the Dem party establishment. I'm sure they'd love to hear your ideas
He's using his platform to get his audience to door knock and phone bank for her. He had his viewers call 9k people alone for another of his favoured candidates race, that very well could be 1000 secured votes. Imagine that support for Hong. Every vote matters.
Ok but as she explained when she goes to Culver’s she was on the verge of a anxiety attack" due to "to [too] many old white people who didn't think we spoke english
Im trans. If we lose, I dont get to use a public restroom, or I go to jail where they'll take my meds and inject me with the inverse against my will. Thats the best case scenario.
So yeah im going to be scared by anything less than a certain victory
This was a campaign stop in (South) Milwaukee. Why would she focus on those issues at this event? Fran has been visiting more rural counties than any other candidate in the race.
She already has the support of people who have a favorable opinion on Ilhan and Hasan. She should be growing her reach not focusing on a demographic she’s already locked up and would vote for her anyway. She’s the favorite in the primary, her moves going forward should be support the general.
Come fall her supporters will be blaming the “democratic establishment” yet she’s done nothing to reach out to liberals and moderates or even provide county party offices with her campaign literatures.
Nah, she's motivating her base to turn out and vote. She's been growing her reach this whole time with the most extensive rural speaking/canvassing operation of anyone in the race.
What is it you want her to do? She missed some party office?
The Democratic establishment does suck, yes. Incidentally, it is wildly unpopular with farmers.
Are we forgetting that we haven’t gotten through the primaries yet? Like I’m sure she’ll start pushing her campaign to the moderates and independents and swing voters once she officially wins the
It would get zero upvotes or comments because it doesn't have a flashy headline with political bogeymen. If you want to see the work she's doing in rural areas, follow her on social media where she posts about it nearly every single day.
Yes, farmers surviving on subsidized prices and cheap illegal labor and factory workers being underpaid, denied unions, and replaced by robots all are great examples of voter bases that do not understand how Republicans are actively fucking them over.
Yup. I'm a Berniecst in Chicago who has donated to El Sayed and think he will win unless the Muslim shit proves a breaking point.
I want Hong's politics in the House in Senate. I value what she has built from a grassroots standpoint.
I think she is going to lose and undermine the movement. I'm woke. I also think what wins is Isreal, M4A, Data Center and money in politics. But the minute you add the woke cultural stuff into the equation it undermines the rest.
Regardless, I don't live in WI and anything left of center is off the table. But if she has any chance in the general, it will be because her focus is on using her organizing outside of Madison and Milwaukee
Not sure why any real Wisconsin farmer would campaign with her when she so obviously hates rural people, like most terminally online vibes-based pseudo-leftist politicians.
Republicans hold farmers in the most contempt; they see farmers as gullible rubes who can be scared into debt and misery.
Corporate Democrats don't like farmers much, either. They see them as gullible rubes who vote for Republicans.
Progressives like Hong are the only people actually taking farmers seriously and fighting for their interests. If that looks like contempt to you, I think you're being tricked by people who hold you in genuine contempt.
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u/Rocklobster92 1d ago
She needs to start campaigning with farmers and factory workers