The Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance (WMCA) today formally endorsed State Representative Francesca Hong in the 2026 race for Governor of Wisconsin, following a rigorous, multi-stage vetting process undertaken by the organization ahead of the state’s Democratic primary.

WMCA’s endorsement process began with a written questionnaire distributed to every candidate in the race, covering issues including civil rights, religious freedom, immigration policy, criminal justice reform, and economic opportunity. Several candidates did not complete the questionnaire; others submitted abbreviated responses.

To provide Wisconsin’s Muslim community with additional insight ahead of the race, WMCA also convened a Gubernatorial Candidate Forum, at which candidates were invited to answer directly to the community they are seeking to lead.

Building on both the questionnaire and the forum, WMCA developed a formal scoring rubric to evaluate candidates across a range of criteria, including civil rights and civil liberties, hate crime prevention, immigrant and refugee policy, positions on the IHRA definition and Wisconsin’s anti-BDS law, stances on data center development and utility costs, support for working families, staff diversity, and sustained engagement with Wisconsin’s Muslim community.

Following that evaluation, Representative Hong emerged as the clear leader among the candidates assessed.

“We are proud to endorse Francesca Hong who has been with our community since I began as Executive Director, whether uplifting the Burmese community for small businesses, advocating for a ceasefire, supporting our Advocacy Days or holding a voter engagement event at UW-Madison with Muslim student groups,” said Fauzia Qureshi, WMCA Executive Director. “Fran has consistently stood with us on principle, by opposing the IHRA definition, introducing legislation to oppose Wisconsin’s anti-BDS law, and supporting our efforts even when it was not politically convenient.”

WMCA also extended its appreciation to former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, State Senator Kelda Roys, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Governor Candidate Andy Manske for their engagement throughout the process, whether through completing WMCA’s questionnaire, participating in its forum, or standing with the Muslim community even in moments of disagreement.

WMCA is encouraging its members and allies across Wisconsin to support Representative Hong ahead of the state’s August 11th primary.

Media Contact: press@wmcalliance.org