Top Obama ally reveals which far-left candidate needs to lose to help progressives win
David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, has suggested that fellow progressive Abdul El-Sayed's electoral prospects would benefit if rival candidate Francesca Hong loses her primary bid to become Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial nominee. His comments highlight ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party's progressive wing, as more moderate strategists worry that further-left candidates could hinder the party's broader electoral success.
Axelrod made the remarks in a social media post ahead of Wisconsin's primary election, framing Hong's potential defeat as advantageous for El-Sayed and, by extension, for progressives with a better chance of winning wider support. The article situates this within a broader narrative of Democratic infighting over the influence of socialist and further-left figures, with several other pieces referenced alongside it discussing scrutiny of Hong's past comments and warnings from Trump-aligned figures about the Wisconsin race.
In short
- Axelrod says Hong losing Wisconsin primary would help El-Sayed
- Comments reflect Democratic Party tension over progressive candidates
- Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary was imminent at time of writing
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Progressive electoral success requires winning general elections in competitive states such as Wisconsin, which demands broad coalition-building beyond the party's ideological base. If candidates are perceived as too far left, they lose independent and working-class voters essential for victory. Strategic guidance toward more viable candidates reflects pragmatism about what is required to implement progressive policies rather than a betrayal of progressive values.
The case against
The Democratic Party's repeated deference to moderate gatekeepers has failed to energise the electoral base and has resulted in policies that disappoint progressives. Party insiders' assessments of electability often reflect their own preferences rather than evidence about what voters actually support, and their influence over primary contests undermines genuine democratic choice. If progressives are to transform the party, they must resist this gatekeeping and nominate candidates who reflect their genuine values.
Explained simply
Wisconsin chooses its Democratic candidate for governor in a primary, where voters decide who will represent the party in the general election. David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, is a Democratic strategist; Abdul El-Sayed and Francesca Hong are candidates associated with the party’s progressive wing.
The debate reflects a wider question within the Democrats: whether candidates with more left-wing policies can attract enough support to win statewide elections. The outcome matters to the party because it will shape who contests the governorship and how its different factions influence that campaign.