In Wisconsin, a progressive gubernatorial candidate is polling far ahead of the other candidates before the battleground state’s Democratic primary next week.
That was the story in Michigan, too: Polls showed Abdul El-Sayed handily beating Rep. Haley Stevens ahead of Tuesday’s Senate primary — but he had barely edged out a victory by the time the race was called the next morning. Now, some Democrats wonder if the same will come to pass in Wisconsin, where polling has shown state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, leading her opponents by double-digit margins for weeks.
Among the most doubtful is Hong’s leading opponent, David Crowley, who previously suspended his race in July because he wasn’t gaining traction before reentering 10 days later. Tuesday’s disconnect between polls and election day realities in Michigan brings Milwaukee County’s executive to one of the most optimistic points of his campaign so far. His team sent out an internal memo on Wednesday telling supporters his race is similarly closer than polls indicate.