MADISON — Wisconsin State Rep. Francesca Hong announced her candidacy for governor in 2026, joining a crowded Democratic primary field that now includes four men and four women. The Madison Democrat positions herself as the "wild card" in the race, emphasizing her unique background as a working-class single mother with restaurant industry experience.
The state lawmaker, who has represented her hometown in the Assembly since 2020, believes her diverse professional background sets her apart from other candidates.
"I think it's because I'm still the only working-class, like, single mom who has both some political experience in the legislature, but also I am the bartender and the line cook and community organizer who meets different types of communities," Hong said.
Hong's campaign announcement video on X has garnered significant attention, reaching one million views.
Watch: Francesca Hong plans to lean in on 'working class' credentials in Wisconsin race for governor
The Madison-born legislator co-owned a restaurant at one point and believes her roots in restaurant work will resonate with Wisconsin's working class across political divides. Her campaign focuses on what she calls "care" policies, spanning from childcare and public school funding to long-term care and paid family leave.
"The heart of organizing is storytelling and it's, it has to be stories about policy, and so this campaign is focused on care, so whether it's I'm talking about child care and fully funding public schools, to long-term care at home care, our caregivers and care workers, and then paid leave for all," Hong said.
As a second-generation immigrant, Hong made history as the first Asian American elected to Wisconsin's state legislature. She draws on her family's immigrant experience to inform her approach to governance.
"My experience as a daughter of immigrants, I think, really informs how, you know, I want to be compassionate and empathetic, uh, to folks who have different backgrounds and to make sure that Wisconsin is a place where they feel safe and want to take care of themselves and their families," Hong said.
Hong addressed immigration policy, questioning why undocumented workers who pay state and local taxes lack access to some taxpayer-funded programs.
"I think first it's really important to remember that folks who do not have documented status are not recipients of a lot of benefits, yet they are paying taxes and so they're paying into a system where a lot of the programs are actually not accessible to folks," Hong said.
The candidate views her restaurant experience as providing unique insights into Wisconsin communities. TMJ4's Charles Benson asked her if restaurants are a microcosm of who we are and the choices people make about where they eat.
"I'm so stoked that you asked that question because I say often that restaurants are a microcosm of our society," Hong said. "It's very hard to dislike somebody who's cooked a meal for you or that you've shared a meal with. And so I think in restaurants we get a better, better understanding of our shared humanity."
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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