A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
It is primary day in six states.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
President Trump may not be on the ballot, but he's a big factor in several of today's races. In Minnesota, Trump endorsed Mike Lindell for governor. He's the MyPillow guy who echoed Trump's false denials about the 2020 election results. And Trump is backing the sister of Lindsey Graham, Darline, for Senate in South Carolina.
MARTÍNEZ: Alabama, Connecticut and Vermont are also holding primaries today. But the most watched races might be where Democrats are deciding whether they want progressives or more centrist candidates to oppose Trump's policies. Now, that's the question in Wisconsin, where we've called up Wisconsin Public Radio's Anya van Wagtendonk. So Wisconsin State Representative Francesca Hong has shaken up the Democratic primary for governor there. She's a self-described democratic socialist. So what can you tell us about her?
ANYA VAN WAGTENDONK, BYLINE: She is running a very grassroots, volunteer-driven campaign. So alongside the normal forums and meet and greets, there's been dance parties and livestreams and cookouts, like, where Hong herself cooks. She comes out of the restaurant industry. But at the same time, she has said some controversial things over the years, especially on social media several years ago, like calling to defund the police and abolish prisons, which she's taken different positions on more recently. So there are also a lot of Democrats who are worried that she cannot win a general election here in Wisconsin, where winning statewide usually hinges on just a few thousand moderate and independent voters.
MARTÍNEZ: So, you know, we've seen progressives do pretty well lately. I'm thinking about Abdul El-Sayed, who won the Democratic primary right across from where you're at in Michigan. That's another midwestern swing state. So how do mainstream Democrats where you are in Wisconsin, how are they gearing up?
VAN WAGTENDONK: Yeah, so here they are responding by backing a more traditional kind of Democrat. And that would be Milwaukee's county executive David Crowley. And Crowley had actually dropped out of the race and supported a different moderate candidate. That candidate's campaign imploded. And so then Crowley got back in, but this time with a coveted endorsement from outgoing Governor Tony Evers in an effort to counter Hong. And that has helped him raise a ton of money in just a few weeks.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. And next door to you in Minnesota, a similar dynamic has taken shape.
VAN WAGTENDONK: Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is running for Senate against Representative Angie Craig. Flanagan there is the progressive option, although they are not so far apart on the issues. Flanagan wants Medicare for All, while Craig has backed a public option that competes with private insurance. Israel has also been a dividing line there. Flanagan speaks out much more strongly against the Israeli government. And Flanagan is endorsed by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, while Craig is backed more by centrists and has raised more money.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. So what about some of the Republicans that have President Trump's backing?
VAN WAGTENDONK: Yeah, so here in Wisconsin, the Trump-backed candidate for governor is Congressman Tom Tiffany. And he is the very likely opponent for whoever wins that Democratic primary that Hong is in. Over in Minnesota, as you mentioned, Mike Lindell has Trump's endorsement. But the state GOP chairman there has questioned his electability and even his residency. He faces speaker of the state House Lisa Demuth and Army veteran Kendall Qualls. And in South Carolina, Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline, is in his Senate seat and running to keep it. As you said, Trump backs her. But she is facing stiff competition from a crowded field that includes Congressman Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, former Governor Mark Sanford and businessman Mark Lynch.
MARTÍNEZ: That's Anya van Wagtendonk of Wisconsin Public Radio in Madison. Thanks a lot.
VAN WAGTENDONK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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