Francesca Hong, a leading democratic socialist in the race for Wisconsin governor, recently faced scrutiny for her remarks about Thanksgiving. During a CNN interview on ‘The Source with Kaitlan Collins’, Hong was questioned by Collins regarding a past social media post suggesting the cancellation of Thanksgiving.
‘Do you still believe that Thanksgiving should be canceled?’ Collins inquired. Hong, who’s also a chef, recounted her experience preparing a Thanksgiving meal as a teenager and emphasized her background in the restaurant industry. She expressed that gathering people to share food and conversation is valuable.
However, Hong acknowledged that Thanksgiving can be painful for some community members. She stressed the importance of recognizing diverse perspectives and noted that views can change. Hong believes her culinary experience will aid her in governing and fostering unity.
The now-deleted post, initially made on X in November 2020, sparked backlash. Hong seemingly linked the pandemic with Thanksgiving, writing, ‘Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621.’ She referred to Thanksgiving as a ‘superspreader event’ that had disastrous effects on indigenous populations due to smallpox.
Hong’s use of ‘folx’ is meant to include LGBTQ+ and marginalized groups. Her campaign clarified she does not wish to cancel Thanksgiving altogether.
Hong, a 37-year-old state assemblywoman from Madison, leads the Democratic primary. She has backing from prominent progressives like Hasan Piker, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Rep. Ro Khanna, aligning with similar policies to NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Conservative commentators have mocked her responses online, labeling them as confusing. Hong’s past controversial posts continue to surface, drawing attention as she advances in her political campaign.
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