In the closing weeks before Wisconsin's August 11 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Francesca Hong — a Democratic Socialist who leads her field in fundraising and progressive endorsements — finds herself navigating the resurfaced weight of her own words. Old social media posts, one calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving and another describing racial anxiety at a fast-food restaurant, have become flashpoints in a race already reshaped by the sudden exit of former frontrunner Mandela Barnes. The episode raises a question as old as democratic politics itself: how much does a candidate's pri
Socialist candidate Hong faces scrutiny over deleted 'Cancel Thanksgiving' post
the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx
Mark
Why does a post from 2020 about Thanksgiving matter now, in 2026?
Mimi
Because Hong is about to become the Democratic nominee for governor of Wisconsin. When you're running statewide, your entire record becomes fair game—especially posts that touch on cultural touchstones like holidays and identity.
Mark
But she deleted it. Doesn't that suggest she reconsidered the position?
Mimi
Deletion doesn't erase the fact that she wrote it, or that it reflects a particular worldview. The question voters are asking is whether this represents her genuine thinking or a rhetorical flourish she's moved past. We don't have clarity on that.
Mark
The Culver's post seems almost trivial by comparison. Why is it getting attention?
Mimi
It's not trivial if you're trying to win a statewide race in Wisconsin. It shows her describing anxiety around ordinary people in an ordinary place—and framing it through the lens of race and age. That's a vulnerability in a state where you need broad coalition support.
Mark
She's raised nearly three times what Crowley has. Does money insulate her from these controversies?
Mimi
Not necessarily. Money helps you reach voters, but it doesn't erase what they find online. The real test is whether Democratic primary voters in Wisconsin see her as electable in a general election, or whether they worry these posts will be weaponized against her.
Mark
What does her endorsement from Omar and Khanna tell us?
Mimi
It tells us she has genuine support from the national progressive wing. But national progressives and Wisconsin voters aren't the same electorate. The primary voters who will decide this race live in a different political reality than Minneapolis or the Bay Area.
Der Puls
- Deleted posts rarely disappear — screenshots of Hong's 2020 call to cancel Thanksgiving and her 2019 account of fleeing a restaurant due to 'too many old white people' have circulated widely, handing conservative critics ready-made ammunition.
- The controversy lands at a precarious moment: former frontrunner Mandela Barnes abruptly exited the race amid a workplace misconduct investigation, collapsing the field and intensifying scrutiny on whoever remains standing.
- Hong's campaign has not responded to the resurfaced posts, leaving a silence that opponents and commentators are filling with their own interpretations in the final stretch before the primary.
- With Governor Evers endorsing rival David Crowley and Hong holding a commanding fundraising lead, the race has narrowed to a two-person contest where electability — not just ideology — may determine the outcome.
- The August 11 primary will test whether Hong's progressive coalition, bolstered by endorsements from Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna, can absorb the political friction of her past words in a state where cultural traditions run deep.
In the closing weeks before Wisconsin's August 11 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Francesca Hong — a Democratic Socialist who leads her field in fundraising and progressive endorsements — finds herself navigating the resurfaced weight of her own words. Old social media posts, one calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving and another describing racial anxiety at a fast-food restaurant, have become flashpoints in a race already reshaped by the sudden exit of former frontrunner Mandela Barnes. The episode raises a question as old as democratic politics itself: how much does a candidate's private expression, unearthed and reframed, define the public trust they seek?
Francesca Hong, the Democratic Socialist frontrunner in Wisconsin's gubernatorial race, is facing renewed scrutiny over social media posts from years past — statements that have found new life just weeks before the August 11 primary.
In 2020, Hong posted that Thanksgiving should have been canceled as far back as 1621, calling the holiday a celebration of colonialism and 'the original superspreader event' that devastated indigenous populations. The post was later deleted, but screenshots spread widely, drawing mockery from conservative commentators who questioned her viability in a state where the holiday carries deep cultural resonance. A second resurfaced post, from 2019, described Hong leaving a Culver's restaurant in Black River Falls after growing anxious in the presence of 'too many old white people who didn't think we spoke english.' She told her son the restaurant had run out of ice cream — Culver's serves frozen custard — before acknowledging the real reason for their departure. Critics piled on, citing both the sentiment and the factual errors.
Hong has built her campaign around economic justice, championing race-based grants for social workers, publicly funded grocery stores, and a state-run bank. She has earned endorsements from Representatives Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna, and her fundraising — nearly $709,000 through late June — substantially outpaces her rivals.
The race was upended when Mandela Barnes, the former lieutenant governor and earlier frontrunner, withdrew following a workplace misconduct investigation reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. His exit left Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as the two principal contenders. Governor Evers endorsed Crowley, citing experience, while Crowley has raised $250,000 and secured local organizational support.
Hong's campaign has not responded to questions about the resurfaced posts. Whether the controversy meaningfully shifts Democratic voters in the final days before the nomination remains the open question hanging over the race.
Francesca Hong, the Democratic Socialist frontrunner in Wisconsin's race for governor, is confronting renewed scrutiny over social media posts she made years ago—statements that have resurfaced as she stands on the threshold of the Democratic nomination.
In November 2020, Hong posted on X that Thanksgiving should be canceled. "Should have done this in 1621," she wrote, then elaborated: the holiday, in her view, celebrates colonialism and represents "the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women," referring to the smallpox epidemics that devastated Native American populations. The post has since been deleted, but screenshots circulated online, drawing mockery from conservative commentators and raising questions about her viability as a statewide candidate in a state where Thanksgiving remains a deeply rooted cultural tradition.
The controversy intensified when another post from 2019 resurfaced. In it, Hong described a visit to a Culver's restaurant in Black River Falls where she ate two bites of her child's cheeseburger before leaving. She explained her departure by telling her son the restaurant had run out of ice cream, but acknowledged the real reason: she was on the verge of an anxiety attack triggered by the presence of "too many old white people who didn't think we spoke english." Conservative figures seized on the post, with some noting the grammatical error in her correction (she wrote "TOO" instead of "TO"), while others mocked her unfamiliarity with Culver's menu—the chain serves frozen custard, not ice cream—and the broader optics of a gubernatorial candidate describing distress at the sight of elderly white patrons.
Hong has built her campaign on a progressive platform that emphasizes economic justice for working people. She champions race-based grants for social workers, publicly funded grocery stores, and the creation of a state-run bank. She has drawn endorsements from nationally prominent progressives including Representatives Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ro Khanna of California. As of late June, her campaign had raised nearly $709,000, substantially outpacing her main rival.
The race shifted dramatically on Thursday when Mandela Barnes, the state's former lieutenant governor and an earlier frontrunner, withdrew from the contest. Barnes had benefited from his proximity to outgoing Governor Tony Evers and strong name recognition, but his exit coincides with allegations under investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he may have used his position to make unwanted sexual advances toward women in the workplace. With Barnes gone, Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley emerged as the two principal contenders. Governor Evers has endorsed Crowley, citing his experience, while Crowley has raised $250,000 and secured backing from local organizations and figures.
The primary election is scheduled for August 11. Hong's campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment on the resurfaced posts. What remains unclear is whether the social media controversy will meaningfully affect her standing among Democratic voters in the final weeks before the nomination is decided.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621. If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women, so be it.— Francesca Hong, in a November 2020 post on X (since deleted)
I ate two bites of my kid's cheeseburger at a Culver's in black river falls and told him they ran out of ice cream. Mostly just wanted to leave bc I was on the verge of a anxiety attack...to many old white people who didn't think we spoke english.— Francesca Hong, in a 2019 post on X (resurfaced)
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