Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Francesca Hong found herself in an uncomfortable national spotlight Monday night after CNN pressed her on an old social media post calling for Americans to cancel Thanksgiving.
Hong, a democratic socialist and the current leader in the Democratic primary race, appeared on “The Source with Kaitlan Collins” as her past comments about one of America’s most cherished holidays resurfaced online.
CNN host Kaitlan Collins did not exactly have to dig deep to find the obvious question.
“Do you still believe that Thanksgiving should be canceled?” Collins asked.
Hong began with a softer answer, leaning on her background in food and hospitality.
“I’m a chef, and one of the first meals that I made that was for the community when I was 16 [years old] was a Thanksgiving meal,” Hong said.
She continued by trying to cast herself as someone who values gathering and conversation.
“I always think my hospitality background in owning a restaurant for seven, eight years, that bringing folks around the table to share conversation and build community is always a good thing.”
That would have been a fine place to stop, but this is progressive politics, where even turkey and stuffing apparently need an ideological struggle session.
Hong then pivoted right back into the familiar left wing critique of the holiday.
“But Thanksgiving is also a time that’s incredibly painful for many people in our communities,” Hong continued.
She tried to smooth out the political damage by suggesting her views had shifted.
“And so I think there, I wanted to make sure that people understood that there are multiple views, but views can evolve.”
Then came the campaign pitch.
“And the position that I’m running for right now, and I think my background as a chef will actually help me become a better governor that’s able to bring more people to the table,” she concluded.
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The problem for Hong is that the resurfaced post was not some vague academic musing.
In November 2020, she wrote, ” Cancel Thanksgiving . Should have done this in 1621,” according to prior reporting.
She added, “If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx [sic] and women, so be it,” referring to smallpox and its deadly impact on many indigenous Americans.
The use of “folx” is often treated on the left as a signal of inclusivity toward LGBTQ people and other groups.
For many normal voters, it reads like another reminder that progressive politicians spend far too much time trapped in activist vocabulary workshops.
Hong’s campaign later tried to clean up the mess in a statement to Fox News Digital. “No, she does not want to ‘cancel’ Thanksgiving.”
That denial may be convenient now, but voters are allowed to notice when a politician says one thing online, deletes it, and then suddenly discovers moderation when a camera is rolling.
Conservatives on X wasted little time mocking the answer. “[W]ord salad that would make Kamala [Harris] envious,” Libs of TikTok wrote.
The Thanksgiving controversy is not the only resurfaced social media moment causing headaches for Hong.
In a 2019 post, she described being “on the verge of [an] anxiety attack” while eating at a popular fast food restaurant with her son.
Hong is endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America and has attracted support from national progressive figures, including Hasan Piker, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California.
She also shares policy ground with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, another socialist darling of the activist class.
That may thrill the online left, but Wisconsin voters may have a few questions before handing over the governor’s office.
The episode gives Republicans an easy opening in a state where cultural issues, kitchen table concerns, and law and order politics remain deeply potent.
If Democrats nominate a socialist who once wanted to cancel Thanksgiving, the campaign ads practically write themselves.
Hong may claim she wants to bring people to the table now.
The trouble is that her own record suggests she once wanted to flip the whole Thanksgiving table over, then lecture everyone about colonialism while the mashed potatoes got cold.
