Francesca Hong walks back “cancel Thanksgiving” remark, says holiday is her favorite

Francesca Hong, a Wisconsin candidate for governor and a former state representative, said she is not calling for the holiday to be canceled, walking back earlier comments that drew attention online. In an interview published Wednesday, Hong told Politico reporter Irie Sentner that Thanksgiving is her “favorite” holiday and that “I don’t want to cancel it.”

Hong, described as a professional chef, said she “actually loves” Thanksgiving in the interview, according to The Hill. The comments represent a reversal from a prior social media post in which Hong used language calling for “cancel Thanksgiving,” a phrase that led to criticism and prompted questions about her message on mainstream cultural traditions.

The Hill reported that Hong’s earlier post did not remain isolated to a single line, and that her later clarification sought to reframe her intent around Thanksgiving itself. In her interview, Hong said the holiday is the one she favors most, emphasizing approval rather than elimination of the day.

The developments come as Hong runs for governor of Wisconsin. Her candidacy and public statements have included broader debates about what elected officials and candidates should support culturally, including how to address traditions associated with the holiday season. In Hong’s case, the shift from “cancel Thanksgiving” language to a direct endorsement of the holiday itself highlights how quickly political messaging can change once remarks circulate beyond the original context.

Neither The Hill nor the interview summary provided additional details about what Hong meant by “cancel Thanksgiving” in her earlier post, such as whether she was referring to particular practices, advertising, or the tone of public celebrations. Instead, the reporting focuses on her later statement that Thanksgiving is her preferred holiday and that she does not want to see it canceled.

Hong’s clarification also underscores the role of candidate messaging in state-level races, where voters can encounter statements through social media and then follow up through later interviews or retractions. With the August news cycle under way, the episode may affect how supporters and critics interpret her broader communication style, even as no specific policy proposal was attached to the Thanksgiving exchange in the reporting.

The next question is whether Hong’s “cancel Thanksgiving” language returns as an issue in future campaign discussions, particularly in response to questions about how candidates handle controversies involving cultural or religious observances. For now, the publicly reported record centers on the contrast between her earlier post and her later interview, which explicitly states she does not want to cancel Thanksgiving.