US Primaries: Crowley Edges Hong in Wisconsin as Trump’s Influence Fractures in Minnesota

Centrist David Crowley has narrowly secured the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial nomination, defeating democratic socialist Francesca Hong in a contest that underscores the ongoing tension between the party’s establishment and its progressive wing. With 94 per cent of votes counted, Crowley held a lead of less than one percentage point, recording 39.9 per cent of the vote compared to Hong’s 39.5 per cent. The result sets up a general election against Republican US Representative Tom Tiffany, who won his party’s nomination with 95.3 per cent of the vote.

Hong’s campaign, which advocated for policies including the abolition of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and increased taxation on corporations and billionaires, resonated with a segment of the Democratic base. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that 76 per cent of liberal Democrats consider it essential to raise taxes on these groups. However, Hong ran without endorsements from prominent progressive figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders or Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and faced scrutiny over past social media comments regarding Thanksgiving, which she later clarified in interviews.

In Minnesota, the Democratic Senate primary saw progressive Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeat moderate Representative Angie Craig. Flanagan secured 59 per cent of the vote with 99 per cent of ballots counted, signalling momentum for left-leaning candidates within the party. This victory comes as Flanagan prepares to face Senator Amy Klobuchar, who won her nomination following the Trump administration’s immigration deportation campaign in Minneapolis earlier this year.

The influence of President Donald Trump’s endorsements faced a significant test in the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary, where Trump-backed Mike Lindell lost to Lisa Demuth. Despite vocal support from the president, Lindell received only 32.5 per cent of the vote, trailing Demuth’s 43.4 per cent. Lindell, a proponent of debunked claims regarding the 2020 election, had received a Truth Social endorsement in May, but the result suggests a limit to the president’s sway over certain Republican primary voters.

Elsewhere, Trump-backed Rhett Marques won the Republican nomination in Alabama’s newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District with 50 per cent of the vote. The district’s map was altered following a Supreme Court ruling that allowed Louisiana Republicans to redraw electoral boundaries, a move that eliminates a district where Black voters form a majority or near-majority. In South Carolina, Darline Graham advanced to an August 25 run-off for the Republican US Senate nomination following her brother Lindsey Graham’s death, receiving 32.7 per cent of the initial vote against Ralph Norman’s 24.7 per cent.

In Vermont, incumbent Republican Phil Scott ran unopposed for re-election, while Amanda Janoo won the Democratic gubernatorial primary with 49.1 per cent of the vote. The primary results across these states highlight a complex electoral landscape, with tight margins in Wisconsin and Minnesota contrasting with decisive wins in Alabama and Vermont.