WaPo’s Rogin Claims Lefty Message Rising Despite Hong’s Loss
A Washington Post analyst argues that a progressive candidate's narrow loss in Wisconsin's Democratic primary shows growing far-left support in moderate battleground states.
According to Breitbart News, Josh Rogin, who serves as Intelligence Lead Global Security Analyst at the Washington Post, made the comments during an appearance on CNN NewsNight on Wednesday.
Rogin contended that the real takeaway from the primary race was not that Francesca Hong lost, but rather how close she came to victory despite being what he described as a weak candidate with no establishment backing.
Hong managed to secure 39 percent of the vote in Wisconsin, a state not typically seen as fertile ground for Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates. Rogin suggested that but for certain missteps in the final weeks of the campaign, she would have prevailed.
The analyst claimed that Hong’s defeat was not a rejection of her progressive platform, but rather stemmed from voter concerns about her ability to win a general election. He framed the outcome as evidence that the progressive movement within the Democratic Party is gaining momentum even in purple states.
Rogin urged Democrats to take notice that Hong came within half a percentage point of becoming the party’s gubernatorial nominee, arguing this demonstrates the rising influence of left-wing messaging within the party base.
The primary results suggest that progressive candidates are making inroads beyond their traditional coastal strongholds, potentially complicating the Democratic Party’s efforts to maintain appeal with centrist voters in swing states ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
With information from Breitbart News
