A Democratic socialist running for governor in Wisconsin once called to “defund, then abolish,” the police.
Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, in a flurry of posts on social media, called for the end of policing in the wake of the slaying of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake, before and during her time as an elected official.
In one post made in August 2020, first reported by CNN, Hong said, “I support defunding the police as a first step towards abolishing the police.”
“Jacob Blake is fighting for his life, but he shouldn’t have to be,” she said on X, then Twitter. “We must also fight for his life and get justice for all those harmed by state-sanctioned violence.”
Blake was shot seven times in Kenosha, Wis., after police responded to a domestic disturbance call. The incident left him partially paralyzed and sparked a wave of violent protests in 2020.
He had a pocket knife on him that fell from his pocket in the altercation, which he picked up before being shot.
Hong again weighed in on the issue, this time as an elected official in October 2021 in response to federal prosecutors’ decision to not file charges against Officer Rusten Sheskey, who shot Blake over a year prior.
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“How is 7 bullets in the back not excessive force,” Hong said online. “Police exist to uphold white supremacy. Defund then abolish. Reform can’t be an option. My heart breaks for the trauma the Blake family and their community continues to endure.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Hong appeared to backtrack from the posts, but didn’t say whether as governor she would move to defund and abolish the police.
“There is no way I want to cut resources for public safety,” Hong said. “I don’t like crime. I don’t like unsafe streets. I also don’t like when a member of law enforcement abuses their power.”
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“Everyone deserves the resources they need to be safe, including housing, good-paying jobs, mental health supports and community resources,” she continued. “As governor, I will look at every part of the state and work with local leaders to shape solutions that address our immediate needs.”
Hong, who is endorsed by Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is one of several candidates in a crowded primary for the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin. Primary Election Day is still a ways away on Aug. 11, and Hong is locked in a tight battle with former Lieutenant Governor and 2022 Democratic nominee for Senate Mandela Barnes.
The winner of their primary will likely square off against Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., a member of the House Freedom Caucus and frontrunner in his bid for the Republican nomination. Tiffany, in a statement to Fox News Digital, took a shot at both candidates.
“This is what today’s Democrat Party has become,” Tiffany said. “Whether it’s Francesca Hong doubling down on abolishing the police or Mandela Barnes calling to empty prisons while pushing to end cash bail, they are both far-left radicals who care more about protecting criminals than the innocent people harmed by their crimes.”
Tiffany’s campaign directed Fox News Digital to older posts from Barnes, too, where he pushed to “cut the prison population in half,” and legislation he introduced a decade ago to end cashless bail.
Fox News Digital reached out to Barnes’ campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.
