Socialist Francesca Hong Loses To Interesting Opponent

Since the beginning of 2024, The Western Journal has published 29 articles containing the word “schadenfreude,” and, judging by a quick review, every one of them appears to have come from the same writer.

Now comes number 30, and it may be difficult to find a more fitting occasion for the milestone.

Schadenfreude, of course, is the pleasure someone takes in another person’s misfortune. It may not be the noblest human emotion, but electoral politics has a way of producing unusually strong examples of it.

Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary appears to have supplied one.

Francesca Hong entered election night looking like the clear favorite. Polling throughout July had consistently shown her ahead, often by double digits. RealClearPolitics did not publish a polling average for the race, but every poll taken since July reportedly gave Hong at least an 11-point advantage over her closest competitor.

Then came Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Crowley had suspended his campaign in June after concluding that he did not have a realistic path to victory. At the time, he was struggling in the polls and appeared to be finished.

Then he came back.

By early Wednesday morning, Decision Desk HQ had projected Crowley as the winner. Shortly after 2 a.m. Central Time, he held roughly 39.8 percent of the vote compared with Hong’s 39.4 percent, with nearly all ballots counted. The Associated Press also called the race for Crowley.

That would have been remarkable enough on its own. What makes the story almost absurdly perfect is the explanation Crowley gave for getting back into the race.

According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Crowley said that he and his wife prayed about the decision. His wife asked God for an unmistakable sign — specifically, a red bird.

Then she saw a cardinal.