NEWS PEG
Hong was heavily criticized for saying she wanted to cancel Thanksgiving in 2020, then giving a roundabout answer to CNN recently when asked if she stood by the statement. She reversed her position in an interview with Politico last week, telling the outlet it’s actually her favorite holiday. Ocasio-Cortez and other prominent progressives, including Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have not endorsed in Hong’s race. She’s challenging Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who is backed by Gov. Tony Evers, in Tuesday’s primary, which includes several other Democratic candidates. Ocasio-Cortez has said she’s staying out of the race because she’s focused on congressional races, while Sanders and Warren have said they’re not familiar enough with Hong. Some observers, however, have speculated whether the progressive leaders are avoiding Hong after they were burned by former Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner, a political newcomer forced to drop out of the race after a series of revelations about his controversial past, culminating in sexual assault allegations against him.
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What Else Did El-Sayed Say In Old Posts Unearthed by CNN?
He argued that fireworks hurt air quality and could trigger PTSD in veterans and scare children and pets in one of the deleted YouTube videos cited by CNN. He also compared the “ethos of football” to narratives used to justify slavery and other forms of oppression, according to CNN, citing a 2023 episode of his podcast that has not been deleted. His campaign noted in response that El-Sayed was the captain of his high school football team and “loves Michigan football on Saturdays.”
Key Background
El-Sayed and Hong are among a wave of progressive primary candidates raising concerns among establishment Democrats about whether they can win statewide contests in November. El-Sayed is in a dead heat with Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in most polls, while some polls show Hong winning Tuesday’s primary but losing support to Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., in the general election.
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further reading
Some Progressives Avoid Francesca Hong Amid Turbulent Primary Season: ‘I Don’t Know Her’ (Forbes)
How Left-Wing Twitch Streamer Hasan Piker Has Divided Democrats (Forbes)
Establishment Democrats Line Up Behind Progressive El-Sayed After Tight Race Divided Party (Forbes)
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