Francesca Hong, the democratic socialist leading in polls for Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial nomination, was pressed on CNN to explain past social media posts in which she called for Thanksgiving to be "cancelled." The resurfaced posts have become a flashpoint in the race, with critics using them to paint Hong as out of step with mainstream voters ahead of the primary.

During the Monday night interview, Hong attempted to defend or clarify her earlier comments but appeared to struggle to give a clear explanation when questioned directly. The controversy comes amid wider scrutiny of prominent democratic socialist figures in US politics, with other Democrats, including Joe Manchin and James Carville, separately voicing concerns about the party's leftward figures.