Democratic socialists’ battleground test: From the Politics Desk

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In today’s edition, Adam Edelman explains why Wisconsin is set to serve as a major test of the extent of democratic socialists’ newfound clout. Plus, Matt Dixon digs into North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s ties to the state.

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Riding primary momentum, democratic socialists eye a battleground state breakthrough

By Adam Edelman

After a string of primary successes this month in deep-blue corners of the country, democratic socialists will face a major test on whether their appeal can translate to a battleground state later this summer.

In Wisconsin, a lengthy list of Democrats are competing to be the next governor, including Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez , who serves alongside retiring Gov. Tony Evers , and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes , who narrowly lost the 2022 Senate race in the state.

But it’s been another candidate — state Rep. Francesca Hong , a democratic socialist — who has unexpectedly seen a surge of momentum in recent weeks in a field that lacks a clear front-runner. Hong has been at the top of the limited public polling ahead of the August primary and placed second this month in a straw poll at the Wisconsin Democratic Party Convention.

As the contest enters its final stretch, Hong is seeking to capitalize on victories by democratic socialists and their allies across the country. On Tuesday, three candidates backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani won House primaries , including two that featured Democratic incumbents. That followed democratic socialist candidates winning the Democratic primary for mayor in Washington, D.C. , and advancing to a runoff in the Los Angeles mayoral race.

“It’s a great day to be a democratic socialist,” Hong posted on X yesterday . “Wisconsin is next!”

But those recent democratic socialist wins have all been in mayoral or congressional primaries in solidly Democratic urban centers. The challenge for Hong — who represents liberal Madison in the Legislature and has faced scrutiny for her past calls to defund and abolish the police — is making a similar campaign viable in a statewide primary in one of the most closely divided places politically in the country.

“The socialist label is less scary to people than it used to be, and people are often choosing them as a rejection of the status quo,” said Andrew Mamo , a Democratic strategist who has worked on campaigns in Wisconsin in previous cycles. “And certainly, people’s hopes are up in a way that they haven’t been historically.”

“But the landscape in Wisconsin is different,” he added. “We’re talking about going for a statewide win in a state that [Donald] Trump won twice.”

🔵 Related: Democratic rift over the party’s future widens amid the left’s New York victories , by Natasha Korecki and Allan Smith

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Michael Whatley’s Michigan roots largely disappear from his bio as he runs for Senate in North Carolina

By Matt Dixon

Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley has made his ties to western North Carolina a central part of his Senate campaign against former Gov. Roy Cooper , frequently talking about how he “grew up” in the tiny town of Blowing Rock. An NBC News review found that Whatley has used some variation of that line at least 15 times since he announced his Senate run in July.

“I grew up in a tiny, little town in North Carolina called Blowing Rock,” Whatley told conservative commentator Mark Levin in December. “We have one stoplight and a Hardee’s. You know, I went to church and I played sports and I worked.”

But records show that Whatley spent most of his childhood away from North Carolina. He was born in Michigan and stayed there until his early high school years. He then lived in Blowing Rock for roughly three years before going elsewhere in the state for college.

Whatley’s campaign spokesperson said that the brief period of time he lived in Blowing Rock was formative for him, and there is no contradiction when he calls himself a “son” of the region.

“Michael Whatley moved to Blowing Rock, graduated from Watauga High School, earned degrees from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Wake Forest University, and today is a proud resident of Gaston County,” said DJ Griffin , his campaign’s communications director.

He added that Whatley “became an adult” in western North Carolina.

It’s a different sentiment than the one the candidate expresses regularly on the stump. His own campaign website says he was “raised in Blowing Rock” and makes no mention of his Michigan roots.

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That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Annelise Hanson.

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