Dana Perino presses Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong on ties to Democratic Socialists of America, police comments

Fox News anchor Dana Perino grilled Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong on Friday during a discussion of Hong’s political affiliations and past comments about law enforcement. Perino’s line of questioning focused on Hong’s association with the Democratic Socialists of America, as well as social media statements from 2020 in which Hong called to “defund the police,” according to The Hill’s report on the segment.

The exchange centered on what Hong has said about policing and how those statements align with public expectations for a statewide law enforcement posture. Perino pressed Hong on whether her prior remarks represented a policy commitment and how she would approach public safety issues as a candidate for governor of Wisconsin.

The Hill said Perino also highlighted Hong’s reported connection to the Democratic Socialists of America, bringing the focus back to how voters might interpret Hong’s broader political ties alongside her comments on policing. The reporting described the questions as part of an effort to test Hong’s explanations and clarify whether her past positions still reflect her current approach.

Hong, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, has been described by The Hill as the Democratic primary frontrunner. The segment therefore comes amid heightened scrutiny typical of competitive state-level nomination season, with questions aimed at reconciling past political language with present campaign framing.

In the 2020 posts referenced by The Hill, Hong’s comments included a call to “defund the police.” The Hill’s report also said Hong stated she supported defunding, tying the policing discussion directly to the social media material Perino raised on air.

The Hill’s account did not indicate that the Wisconsin Democratic primary frontrunner has publicly changed the underlying positions attributed to the 2020 statements. Instead, it framed Perino’s questioning as a challenge to Hong to address the consistency of her record and affiliations, and to explain how those past statements would translate into governing decisions.

The next practical step in the race is how Hong responds to the specific allegations and characterizations raised during the interview and what, if any, further clarification she provides regarding her relationship to the Democratic Socialists of America and her approach to policing and public safety if she advances in the primary process.