Wisconsin democratic socialist state Rep.Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary frontrunner in the race for governor, sidestepped repeated questions from Politico reporter Jonathan Martin on Tuesday at Marquette University in Milwaukee about whether she still wants to abolish police, following a televised debate in which she pledged to preserve law enforcement funding amid scrutiny of her previous position."So this system is not working," Hong said.
"If we want to be serious, we better be putting these billions into things we know prevent crime."Martin asked whether Hong still wanted to abolish police in the long term.Hong did not answer yes or no, instead calling for "systems of care" and redirecting criminal justice spending before a campaign aide ushered her away."I believe that we have to be serious about public safety, and I’m going to be a governor that is more serious than anyone else in making sure that we are building systems of care," Hong said.DEM SOCIALIST RUNNING FOR WISCONSIN GOVERNOR PUSHED 'ABOLISHING THE POLICE'Gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong speaks on stage during the Wisconsin Democrats 2026 Convention on June 14, 2026, in Madison, Wis.
(Getty Images for WisDems)Hong campaign communications director Allison Geyer told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the candidate had not changed her underlying values on police and prison abolition, although she now discusses the issue differently."Rep.Hong has spoken in the past about police and prison abolition as an aspirational goal, akin to eradicating disease or eliminating poverty," Geyer said.
"Her values haven’t changed, but the way she talks about this issue has."Hours earlier, moderators asked Hong and her four Democratic opponents whether they would sign a state budget cutting police funding.All five said they would not."The governor cannot defund police, and I am not here to govern by slogan," Hong said.
"I am here to make sure I am the governor that’s most serious about public safe...