Wisconsin Democratic socialist gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong is facing backlash after past comments about race and "whiteness" resurfaced online, drawing criticism from conservative commentators and outlets. The remarks, which touched on her own family, including her biracial son, have added to broader Republican efforts to portray progressive candidates in the Midwest as fringe figures ahead of the midterms.

In a 2021 interview, Hong, who has served in the Wisconsin State Assembly since 2021, said "my proximity to whiteness continues" while discussing her son, who is half-white and half-Korean, and how his identity might be perceived by others. Critics, including former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, seized on the comments as evidence of divisive rhetoric, with the article situating the controversy within a wider Fox News narrative about a "Democratic civil war" and socialist gains in Midwest races.