Democrats’ Leftward Shift Faces Test In Wisconsin, Minnesota Primaries

Democratic voters in Wisconsin and Minnesota are being asked to choose between progressive and more traditional candidates in primaries Tuesday, putting the Democratic Party’s internal debate over its direction on display in two Midwestern states that could matter in the next presidential cycle.

In Wisconsin, state Rep Francesca Hong, a self-described democratic socialist, is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for governor, while Minnesota Lt Gov Peggy Flanagan is challenging centrist Democratic Rep Angie Craig for the party’s nomination for an open US Senate seat. The contests come after progressive candidates have won a series of Democratic primaries, raising questions about whether the left can extend that momentum into competitive states.

Wisconsin tests the left

Hong’s campaign is a test of that question. Wisconsin is a swing state where President Donald Trump won in 2024, while Republicans have long controlled the state legislature. Democrats are seeking to reverse that trend, with control of the governor’s mansion and legislature carrying consequences for the party’s broader electoral plans.

According to The Associated Press, Hong has held a steady lead in public polling over Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who has the backing of Democratic Gov Tony Evers. Several more traditional candidates are also in the race, potentially dividing the vote against Hong. Former Lt Gov Mandela Barnes, who ran for the US Senate in 2022, dropped out less than two weeks before the primary.

Hong has faced criticism over past positions, including her vocal support for defunding the police in 2020, a position she now disavows. Some prominent Democratic strategists worry that she could appeal strongly to the party’s base in the primary but prove vulnerable in the general election.

The winner will face Republican Rep Tom Tiffany in November. Tiffany has been endorsed by Trump and supported the president’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election result in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin contest also carries implications beyond the governor’s race. Democrats want to win control of the state legislature, with this year’s mid-decade redistricting also carrying implications for the party’s House prospects. AP reported that without such a shift, Democrats would face a more difficult path to a House majority in 2028.

Democrats will likely need to win Wisconsin to retake the White House in 2028, making the governor’s race significant beyond the state. Joe Biden won the state in 2020, despite Trump’s attempt to overturn the result, with Evers among those who blocked the effort.

Minnesota race shaped by immigration

In Minnesota, the Democratic Senate primary pits Flanagan against Craig, offering another test of the party’s progressive-versus-centrist divide.

Democrats have won Minnesota during the Trump years, although by shrinking margins, and Republicans believe the open Senate seat could give them an opportunity. Craig represents a swing district and has taken more moderate positions, while Flanagan has attacked her for being backed by establishment Democrats and for being too accommodating to Trump, particularly on immigration.

Trump’s immigration crackdown has also become a major issue in the Minnesota Senate primary. AP reported that the federal government’s immigration enforcement campaign in Minnesota, including the deployment of agents and the fatal shootings of two people in Minneapolis, has intensified opposition to Trump’s policies. Craig has faced criticism from Flanagan over her earlier support for the Laken Riley Act, which gave ICE expanded authority, while Flanagan has made opposition to the administration’s immigration policies part of her campaign.

The Minnesota primary is another test of the divide between the party’s progressive and establishment wings in the Upper Midwest.

A wider Democratic divide

The two contests follow a string of Democratic primary victories by left-leaning candidates. Most have come in reliably liberal urban areas such as New York City and Denver, but last week progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination for a competitive Senate race in Michigan, a swing state.

Hong and Flanagan are now seeking to extend that pattern further into the Upper Midwest. AP described their races as part of a broader left-versus-centre contest playing out in Democratic primaries across several states on Tuesday.

The results will offer another indication of whether progressive candidates can build support beyond Democratic strongholds ahead of the November midterm elections.