Two closely watched Democratic primaries in Wisconsin and Minnesota are testing whether the party's left wing can turn grassroots energy into wins in statewide races.

• In Wisconsin, progressive state rep Franchesca Hong is leading the governor primary by double digits over David Crowley, the more establishment pick backed by the sitting governor.
• Crowley, who is Black, called being labeled "establishment" a racial slur — a move critics tie to an old Clinton-era tactic of using identity to blunt the left.
• Hong has old activist tweets she refuses to delete, raising doubts she can win the general, though her door-knocking ground game and stances against AI data centers and license-plate cameras have set her apart.
• In Minnesota, moderate Rep. Angie Craig and progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are running neck-and-neck for an open Senate seat, with recent polls swinging wildly.
• A state welfare fraud scandal that pushed Gov. Tim Walz not to seek reelection is dragging on Flanagan and Minnesota's clean-government image.

Outlook: Both primaries stay tight and unpredictable, with governor races more likely than Senate races to reward candidates who buck national party trends.