Sen. Bernie Sanders publicly refused to endorse Democratic Socialist of America member Francesca Hong's Wisconsin gubernatorial bid, and the reaction from political observers was swift and pointed.
Sanders, the Vermont independent who built a national brand on democratic socialism, told Pod Save America host Jon Favreau on Wednesday that he does not expect to back Hong ahead of the state's Democratic primary. Asked directly whether he would endorse her, Sanders offered a flat three-word answer.
"I don't think so," Sanders said. He then added a lukewarm assessment of the candidate he met years ago during a Wisconsin visit.
"I met Francesca a couple of years ago. I was in Wisconsin, and she seems very, very nice, but again this is a race I'm just not that familiar with."
Sanders also said his operation has "not gotten involved in many governors' races." But that explanation fell apart almost immediately under scrutiny from reporters and political operatives who pointed to his recent track record.
Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross noted on X that Sanders' stated rationale did not hold up against his own endorsement history. Sanders recently backed Troy Jackson's gubernatorial campaign in Maine. Before that, he endorsed Graham Platner, a Maine Senate candidate who was later replaced by Jackson after what Fox News Digital described as resurfaced Reddit posts and "political baggage."
"Bernie says he's not backing Francesca Hong because he's focused on the Senate. Yet he's endorsed in mayoral races, House races, and Troy Jackson's failed governor race in Maine. That's how whacky Hong is."
Ross's point was blunt: if Sanders has time for mayoral races, House races, and a failed gubernatorial bid in Maine, the "not familiar" excuse rings hollow. The more plausible read, shared widely on social media, is that Sanders sees Hong as a liability, even by his own standards.
Politico reporter Will Steakin kept it shorter: "Says a lot."
Hong, a DSA member and self-described democratic socialist in the Wisconsin state legislature, has drawn national attention for positions that would test even the most progressive electorates. She has previously called for abolishing police and eliminating the U.S. Senate. In recent interviews ahead of the primary, she tried to walk back both positions, a familiar pattern for far-left candidates who discover that campaign slogans make poor general-election platforms.
A quote from Hong about "canceling Thanksgiving" also went viral, drawing additional scrutiny. Republican Tom Tiffany, her likely general-election opponent, seized on that moment through his campaign's X account.
"Well, I guess even Bernie enjoys celebrating Thanksgiving at one of his three houses."
Hong faces three opponents in the Democratic primary, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Wisconsin Department of Administration secretary Joel Brennan, and state Sen. Kelda Roys. Polls suggest Hong is likely to win the primary comfortably, though no specific survey data, pollster names, or margins were cited in reporting on the race. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., appeared at a Hong campaign rally in Milwaukee on Aug. 2.
Jerry Ponio, legislative director for Americans for Prosperity in Wisconsin, posted on X that Sanders endorsed a candidate with serious personal controversies in Maine but would not touch Hong. Conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller made a similar comparison, contrasting Sanders' willingness to stand behind Platner despite his baggage with his refusal to vouch for Hong.
Turning Point Action's Brandon Maly put it plainly on X:
"Francesca Hong, who is a Socialist candidate for Governor of Wisconsin is too radical...even for Bernie Sanders."
Fox News Digital reached out to both the Hong campaign and Sanders' office for comment. Neither response was reported.
Hong's last-minute repositioning on policing and the Senate follows a well-worn playbook: stake out radical positions to build a base, then sand down the edges once a broader electorate is watching. Sanders, whatever his faults, has spent decades refusing to moderate his own rhetoric. That he looked at Hong and decided she was not worth the political risk tells voters everything they need to know about where she actually stands, and how far outside the mainstream that is.
When Bernie Sanders thinks you are too much trouble to endorse, the problem is not Bernie Sanders.
