Wisconsin's 1st Asian American lawmaker tests democratic socialism's swing-state appeal

Francesca Hong's rising campaign comes as recent victories in liberal cities fuel new questions about whether democratic socialism can break through in a battleground state.

Photo via @francescahongwi

Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, the first Asian American elected to the state’s Legislature, has become the Democratic party’s unlikely contender for governor in one of the nation’s most competitive battleground states.

Running as a Korean American democratic socialist, Hong has transformed what began as a long-shot campaig…