La Crosse, WI (June 18, 2026) – Today, Hmong Organizing & Mobilizing for Empowerment (HOME) announced their endorsement of Emily Berge for the Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District following a bilingual community-led endorsement process. The organization believes Berge’s historic and ongoing advocacy for Hmong Americans in the Chippewa Valley will translate to her advocacy for Hmong Americans in the 3rd Congressional District.
HOME identified three priority issues for Hmong Wisconsinites: Medicare/Medicaid accessibility; affordability; and anti-immigration policies and rhetoric. On all three issues, Berge’s campaign delivers positive, pragmatic change. She supports Medicare for All. She also supports “increasing the supply of affordable housing, investing in housing programs that help families build stability, and ensuring that people can afford to live in the communities where they work, raise their children, and contribute to local economies.” In the endorsement process, she indicated that she would support three pieces of legislation that are of consequence to Southeast Asian Americans: the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act (SEADRA), the Legacies of War Recognition and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Removal Act, and the New Way Forward Act. All three pieces of legislation keep Southeast Asian American families together and brings justice to those whose lives were impacted by US bombings of Laos and Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
In her endorsement materials, Berge stated, “Over the last eight years in public service, I have worked to recruit and support Hmong community members to serve in elected office and on local boards and commissions…. Building power is not about speaking for a community—it is about listening, creating opportunities for leadership, and ensuring people have a seat at the table where decisions are made.”
Berge’s campaign is grassroots and people powered. She states, “I have never, and I will never accept corporate dollars, either from PACs or lobbyists.” Dr. Xong Xiong, HOME Executive Director, expands on the significance of this to Hmong Wisconsinites: “Election Day is when everyone is truly equal, because my vote has the same value as that of a billionaire’s. When our lawmakers and the people running for office accept corporate dollars to fund their campaigns, they are telling voters that their voices matter less than that of the billionaire. We’ve seen what happens when lawmakers create and uphold laws that keep us poor while making billionaires richer. We endorse Berge– she has been our ally in WI’s Third and she will continue to be, as demonstrated by her principles and actions on the campaign trail.”
HOME encourages Hmong Wisconsinites to support Berge’s campaign by getting involved with local organizing, talking with Wisconsin friends and family about her platform, and voting for her in the Democratic primary on August 11th.
