A narrow primary win for far-left candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan has intensified the ideological struggle between progressive and centrist wings of the Democratic Party, with the fight now shifting to a closely watched Wisconsin governor's race. Some Democrats worry that the rise of further-left candidates could hurt the party's chances in November, as moderate and progressive factions increasingly clash over strategy and messaging in key Midwest battlegrounds.

In Wisconsin, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong, who supports defunding the police and abolishing ICE, is trailing Republican opponent Tom Tiffany by three percentage points in recent polling, while also facing a significant fundraising shortfall. Senator Bernie Sanders' hesitant response when asked whether he would endorse Hong drew mockery and was seen as telling by critics, while a centrist Democratic group has raised $15 million to counter the party's socialist wing, underscoring the depth of the internal rift.