Overview
- Hong faced renewed scrutiny after a deleted 2020 X post urging people to “cancel Thanksgiving” resurfaced and a CNN interview this Monday in which she did not give a direct yes-or-no answer.
- The campaign and Hong later clarified she does not want to cancel Thanksgiving and Hong told Politico she now calls it her favorite holiday.
- A clip of the CNN exchange went viral on X with counts reported in the millions of views, bringing sharp criticism from Republicans and some Democrats including David Axelrod.
- Reporters linked the Thanksgiving episode to other past social posts on policing and prisons, and Hong has said she does not plan to pursue abolishing the police.
- Hong remains the Democratic frontrunner in polls, including a Marquette University survey showing roughly 38% support, but the controversy adds fresh questions about messaging and general-election vulnerability ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.