Bernie Sanders

Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the most prominent leaders of the progressive movement and democratic socialism, said he doesn't plan to endorse Francesca Hong, who's running for Wisconsin governor.

"I don't think so," Sanders said on the national podcast Pod Save America on Aug. 5. "As of now, we have not been involved in that race."

"I met Francesca a couple of years ago, when I was Wisconsin," Sanders said, mispronouncing her first name. "And she seems very, very nice. But again, this is a race I just am not that familiar with. We have not gotten involved in many governor's races."

Sanders said his main focus is on the U.S. Senate and House. He endorsed and campaigned with progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who narrowly won the U.S. Senate primary in Michigan. Sanders also endorsed Graham Platner in the Maine Senate primary, before urging him to drop out after a sexual assault allegation.

A Ballotpedia list of Sanders' endorsements shows he waded into one governor's race this year, backing Troy Jackson in Maine. Jackson lost that primary but is now the Democratic Senate nominee in that state. Before that, Sanders hadn't endorsed in a governor's race since 2022, according to Ballotpedia.

Sanders did endorse a non-congressional Wisconsin candidate in 2025 – now-Justice Susan Crawford, who won the technically nonpartisan race for state Supreme Court. Sanders endorsed Mandela Barnes in the 2022 U.S. Senate race and appeared with him at a Milwaukee event in 2024. Barnes also was in the governor's race this year but dropped out of the primary.

Sanders has also endorsed Rebecca Cooke, one of two Wisconsin Democrats running in the Aug. 11 primary to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the key House district.

Hong endorsements include Sanders-founded group, Ilhan Omar

While Sanders hasn't backed Hong, her website touts an endorsement from Our Revolution Wisconsin.

The group is an affiliate of the national political organization Our Revolution, founded by Sanders as a continuation of his 2016 presidential campaign. The national organization also lists Hong as an endorsed candidate.

Hong's other endorsements include U.S. Rep. Ilham Omar from Minnesota, who rallied with Hong in South Milwaukee. Hasan Piker, a popular but controversial voice in democratic socialist circles, also spoke at that event.

Nina Turner, a former Ohio senator and a national co-chair of Sanders' presidential campaign, also endorsed Hong. So has U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna from California.

Hong's website includes endorsements from dozens of other state and community leaders.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed El-Sayed in Michigan, has not backed Hong in the race.

Some top Wisconsin Democrats stay out of the governor's primary

While some top Wisconsin Democrats have waded into the primary for governor, others have stayed quiet.

Gov. Tony Evers, who's retiring after two terms in office, initially stayed away from endorsing his successor. But Evers later threw his support into getting Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley back in the race and has campaigned with him. Crowley is going on the offensive against Hong to challenge her frontrunner spot.

Still, the latest Marquette University Law School poll indicated voters may not have been all that swayed by an Evers endorsement. About 62% of Democratic voters were aware of it, compared to 38% who didn't know about it. A majority – 56% – said it made no difference, while 36% said it makes them more likely to vote for Crowley.

Crowley also picked up an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Democrat who has represented Milwaukee in Congress since 2005.

But the two other Wisconsin Democrats in Congress haven't made an endorsement. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin told national publication NOTUS that she "will support the Democratic nominee.”

And U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, who represents the Madison area, has commented on the state of the race without endorsing any one candidate. He did endorse in the much-quieter state treasurer race.

"Candidates give bad interviews sometimes. They better grow from it. The [governor] has a right to endorse and campaign for people. Get over it. People have a right to run even if they get single digits. I may not get it, but it’s their right," Pocan wrote on social media Aug. 4. "Did I piss off a little bit of everyone?"

In another tweet, Pocan noted Hong would be the first woman and Asian American elected governor of Wisconsin.

"Observation not endorsement," Pocan wrote in parentheses.

Hope Karnopp can be reached at [email protected].