David Crowley defeats Francesca Hong in Wisconsin governor primary

The Hong-Crowley contest for the Democrats was just one of several closely-watched races that were held on Tuesday, and there was good news elsewhere for those on the party’s left wing.

In neighbouring Minnesota, candidate Peggy Flanagan secured the Democratic nomination for the upcoming US Senate race, defeating her more centrist opponent Angie Craig.

Meanwhile in Connecticut, there was a continuation of a different trend that has been witnessed in Democratic primaries across the country – with a challenger candidate unseating a long-term incumbent. Luke Bronin defeated John Larson, who has served 14 terms, to become the candidate for a House seat.

And in South Carolina, Darline Graham Nordone advanced to a run-off vote later this month in a special Republican primary for the US Senate which was held following the death of her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham. She will face off against Democrat Annie Andrews to fill the vacant seat.

Crowley’s comeback in Wisconsin was all the more unexpected to many observers, given that he briefly dropped his bid last month in order to support a rival, and at one point trailed Hong by a double-digit margin in pre-election polling.

But he enjoyed a late surge having re-entered the race with the backing of Tony Evers, the state’s current governor.

Hong, a Wisconsin state assemblywoman, a single mother and a former chef, was believed by many observers to be the frontrunner as she entered election day in what proved to be a crowded Democratic primary.

She aimed to become the first democratic socialist to govern the state. However, some of her historical comments raised questions about whether she could have beaten her Republican opponent.

Hong faced particular scrutiny for remarks about police funding and the US Thanksgiving holiday – some of which she later walked back.

Prominent left-wing politicians Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who both often endorse insurgent candidates such as Hong, notably stayed out of this race.

AP News reported that Hong had conceded the race to Crowley, and that her campaign manager had said Hong was “proud of the race we ran”.