Fox News correspondent Alexandria Hoff reported Tuesday that campaign staffers for democratic socialist Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong initially refused to allow the network’s crew into her primary election watch party.
Hoff said her team arrived early and had the necessary credentials and confirmation materials but was still denied access. According to the correspondent, Hong campaign staffers said they had the “discretion” to determine which media outlets could enter the venue.
As polls approached closing time, Hoff appeared live from outside the campaign event and explained what had happened to Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany.
“We were hoping to do this live shot from inside the Hong campaign headquarters watch party,” Hoff said. “We arrived with our confirmation materials, all the registration that we needed. At the front of the line, we were told because of capacity that they had the discretion to turn some away.”
Hoff initially said it appeared Fox News had been singled out while other media organizations were permitted inside.
“It appears Fox News was the only media outlet turned away,” Hoff said before continuing with her report from outside.
Several hours later, Hoff provided an update, saying she had eventually been allowed into the watch party. However, she said she was permitted inside without her equipment.
Fox News was not the only media organization to encounter trouble getting into Hong’s event.
New York Post columnist Isaac Schorr, formerly of Mediaite, also said he had been denied entry at the door.
“Will a Hong administration arbitrarily deny access to critical media the way her campaign is?” Schorr asked in a subsequent social media post.
The controversy over media access unfolded as Hong faced Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in a closely watched Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Hong ultimately conceded the race after falling short of Crowley by less than one percentage point.
Crowley’s victory means he will advance to the November election, where he is set to face Trump-endorsed Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin.
Hong’s campaign had drawn attention beyond the primary contest itself because of several of her past statements.
Those previous comments generated headlines during the campaign, including her calls to abolish the police and prisons.
Hong had also previously called for abolishing Thanksgiving.
But on primary night, the attention temporarily shifted to how her campaign was handling members of the media seeking to cover her election watch party.
Hoff said the Fox News team had arrived with the registration and confirmation materials required for entry, only to be informed at the front of the line that campaign staffers could turn away media organizations because of capacity concerns.
While Hoff was ultimately admitted hours later without her equipment, Schorr’s account confirmed that Fox News was not the only outlet whose representative was denied access to Hong’s watch party.
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