Why Polls Got Wisconsin Governor’s Race Wrong—After Socialist Francesca Hong Loses

Aug 12, 2026 08:44 PM - 1 hour ago 1

Topline

Socialist Francesca Hong was heavy favored to triumph the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial superior Tuesday successful betting likelihood and among politicos, but the fewer polls taken proved unreliable successful a superior pinch respective awesome last-minute developments that changed the dynamics successful the race.

Key Facts

In a Marquette Law poll taken July 22-27, Hong led pinch 38% support, followed by Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes pinch 16% and Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive, pinch 7%.

The canvass was taken 3 days earlier Barnes dropped retired of the title connected July 30 and little than a week aft Crowley re-entered the title connected July 18 aft dropping retired for 10 days.

In an earlier Marquette poll taken July 8-16, erstwhile Crowley was retired of the race, Hong led pinch 26% support, followed by Barnes pinch 15% and Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who dropped retired of the title connected July 17, pinch 11%.

In some Marquette polls, a important stock of voters were undecided—45% successful the first canvass and 34% successful the later one, while the sample size was besides comparatively mini (838 registered voters successful the first canvass pinch a separator of correction of 4.5 and 407 registered voters successful the 2nd pinch a separator of correction of 6.6).

The Marquette polls were besides taken earlier Hong’s arguable 2021 societal media posts astir cancelling Thanksgiving made nationalist news the first week of August (the fallout continued erstwhile she initially refused to locomotion backmost the connection successful a CNN question and reply earlier reversing people successful an question and reply pinch Politico, telling the outlet it’s her favourite holiday).

In a 3rd highly cited poll by State Navigate taken Aug. 3-6—when the section was finalized—among 1,473 apt Democratic superior voters, Hong led pinch 44%, followed by Crowley pinch 22% and Wisconsin authorities Sen. Kelda Roys pinch 11%.

Big Number

95.5%. Those were Hong’s likelihood of winning the title arsenic of Monday, according to Kalshi. Her likelihood importantly narrowed to 58% by Tuesday afternoon.

Tangent

The crowded section further analyzable the dynamic—Roys won 7.5% of the ballot and erstwhile authorities charismatic Joel Brennan won 4.7%, shares ample capable to importantly alteration the result if they weren’t connected the ballot.

Key Background

Hong, a authorities representative, narrowly mislaid to Crowley by 0.4 percent points erstwhile the title was called early Wednesday by the Associated Press. The later polls weren’t excessively acold disconnected successful predicting the stock of votes Hong would win, 39.4%, but underestimated support for Crowley. He was endorsed by retiring Gov. Tony Evers, while Hong had the support of immoderate salient progressives, including Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., though different progressive leaders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., did not endorse successful her race.

More