This was crazy to see.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is coming to the defense of Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong as the rising progressive faces renewed scrutiny over controversial positions she took during the height of the “defund the police” movement.
But while Ocasio-Cortez defended Hong against criticism of her past rhetoric, the New York Democrat stopped short of giving her an endorsement.
The distinction could become increasingly important as Wisconsin voters prepare to choose their Democratic nominee for governor.
Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has emerged as a leading candidate in the Democratic primary against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Her growing political strength has also attracted increased attention from Republicans, who are highlighting Hong’s previous positions on policing, Thanksgiving and other progressive causes.
Those comments could become a major issue if Hong wins the Democratic nomination and advances to the general election.
AOC Defends Hong Over Past Progressive Positions
During an appearance Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week,” Ocasio-Cortez was asked about Hong’s record and whether some of her earlier positions should concern voters.
Rather than condemning Hong over those statements, Ocasio-Cortez argued that voters should pay attention to what the Wisconsin Democrat is saying now.
“My understanding is that Francesca Hong has made clear her present stances to her electorate,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Ocasio-Cortez then referenced New York City Councilman Chi Ossé and a phrase he has used to describe an earlier era of progressive politics.
“Woke 1 was crazy,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She added that “what’s important is that we have to assess what a candidate is saying now.”
The remarks amount to a notable acknowledgment from one of America’s best-known progressive lawmakers that some of the political rhetoric heard during the pandemic and its aftermath would not necessarily be embraced today.
‘Defund The Police’ Debate Returns
Hong’s previous positions on policing are particularly significant because public safety remains a major concern for voters across the country.
During the political unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020, progressive activists across the country called for reducing police budgets or restructuring law enforcement.
The “defund the police” slogan quickly became one of the most controversial political messages of that period.
Republicans strongly opposed the movement, arguing that reducing support for law enforcement would make communities less safe. Many Democrats also eventually distanced themselves from the slogan as concerns about crime became increasingly prominent in elections.
Hong’s previous rhetoric has now returned as an issue in her campaign for governor.
Ocasio-Cortez suggested that the circumstances surrounding those earlier comments should be considered.
“I think that during lockdown, of course, rhetoric in that time is not rhetoric that we would use today,” she said.
AOC Says Crime Debate Has Changed
Ocasio-Cortez did not completely reject the political movement that produced the controversial rhetoric.
Instead, she argued that some of the discussions surrounding policing and criminal justice produced meaningful changes in the national debate.
She suggested Americans now approach conversations about crime differently than they did before the pandemic.
“I think that when we talk about crime today, it’s fundamentally different than the way that we talked about crime and bringing crime down,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Her comments could raise a broader question for voters: How much weight should be given to political positions candidates embraced several years ago if they have since changed or moderated those positions?
Republicans are likely to argue that a candidate’s record provides voters with important information about how that person could govern once in office.
Democrats defending Hong may counter that politicians should be allowed to reconsider previous positions as circumstances change.
Hong’s Thanksgiving Comments Resurface
Hong is also facing renewed attention over remarks she previously made concerning Thanksgiving.
The controversy stems from comments made during a 2021 interview in which she discussed doing away with the traditional holiday.
Asked about the issue again recently, Hong initially told CNN that Thanksgiving “is also a time that’s incredibly painful for many people in our communities.”
The answer quickly generated political backlash.
Hong later issued a statement clarifying that she is not seeking to eliminate Thanksgiving.
Still, the episode gave Republicans another opportunity to focus attention on statements from Hong’s political past.
For many older and more traditional voters, Thanksgiving is closely associated with family, faith, gratitude and American tradition. That could make the controversy particularly potent if Hong becomes the Democratic nominee.
Republicans See Political Opportunity
Republicans have made no secret of their interest in Hong’s previous positions.
If she wins the Democratic nomination, conservative candidates and organizations are likely to focus heavily on her record during the general election.
Policing could be especially important.
Republican candidates have traditionally emphasized law and order, support for police departments and tougher approaches to violent crime.
Hong’s history with the “defund the police” movement could therefore provide Republicans with a straightforward contrast.
The Thanksgiving controversy could add another dimension by allowing Republicans to frame the election around competing cultural values as well as traditional policy disagreements.
Whether that strategy succeeds will ultimately depend on how Wisconsin voters view Hong’s current platform compared with her earlier statements.
Ocasio-Cortez Stops Short Of Endorsement
Despite defending Hong, Ocasio-Cortez made clear that she has not endorsed her campaign.
“I haven’t endorsed in that race,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Instead, the congresswoman said she is concentrating on the national battle for control of Congress.
“My focus has been in winning back the Congress, winning back the House, and positioning ourselves to have the best chance possible to win the Senate,” she said.
That decision is noteworthy because Hong shares ideological connections with the progressive movement associated with Ocasio-Cortez.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, another leading figure on the American left, has also indicated that he does not currently plan to endorse a candidate in the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary.
For now, Hong will have to continue making her case to Democratic voters without formal backing from either progressive heavyweight.
Why Wisconsin’s Governor Race Matters
Wisconsin has long been one of America’s most important political battlegrounds.
Republicans and Democrats have fought closely contested statewide elections there, making developments in Wisconsin closely watched by both parties nationally.
That means a gubernatorial candidate’s political history can receive considerably more attention than it might in a reliably Republican or Democratic state.
If Hong wins the Democratic primary, Republicans will have an opportunity to test whether controversial progressive positions from the pandemic era still influence voters years later.
Democrats, meanwhile, will have to determine whether voters are willing to separate Hong’s present-day campaign from some of her previous rhetoric.
A Bigger Problem For Democrats?
The controversy also highlights a challenge facing the Democratic Party as it attempts to appeal simultaneously to progressive activists and more moderate voters.
Positions that became popular among some progressive activists several years ago can become difficult liabilities in competitive statewide elections.
Crime is one example.
Candidates who once embraced sweeping changes to policing may now face questions from voters who place public safety among their top concerns.
Cultural issues can create similar difficulties.
Comments about long-standing American traditions such as Thanksgiving may resonate very differently with a statewide electorate than with activists in heavily progressive political districts.
Ocasio-Cortez’s response demonstrates how Democrats may attempt to navigate that problem: acknowledge that the political environment has changed while asking voters to judge candidates primarily on what they support today.
Republicans are unlikely to accept that argument without a fight.
Voters Will Have The Final Say
Ocasio-Cortez’s defense of Hong creates an interesting political contrast.
One of the most prominent progressive Democrats in Congress is telling voters not to judge Hong exclusively by controversial statements from an earlier political era.
Yet Ocasio-Cortez is also withholding something that could matter considerably in a Democratic primary: her endorsement.
That leaves Wisconsin voters to decide whether Hong’s earlier comments represent outdated positions she has moved beyond or provide meaningful clues about the type of governor she would be.
If Hong advances to the general election, expect Republicans to make sure voters hear plenty about her record on policing, Thanksgiving and other progressive issues.
For conservatives, the Wisconsin contest could become another test of whether the politics associated with the “defund the police” era still have consequences at the ballot box.
For Democrats, it could test whether candidates can successfully distance themselves from controversial positions without alienating the progressive voters who helped elevate them in the first place.
Either way, Wisconsin’s race for governor could quickly become one of the country’s more closely watched political contests.
