Governor Candidate’s Campaign Hire Gets Big Reaction

Francesca Hong, a leading candidate in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, has drawn attention not only for her support of decriminalizing prostitution, but also for the background of one of her top campaign aides.

Renee Faust, who previously worked under the name Renee Olstead, serves as Hong’s deputy campaign manager. Faust is a former child actress who later created an OnlyFans account and became involved in advocacy for sex workers.

According to reports cited by the Daily Wire and Heartland Post, Faust opened her OnlyFans account in 2020. She was later named Penthouse’s “Pet of the Month” in January 2023 and received the publication’s “Pet of the Year” title in 2025.

Faust also founded the Coalition for American Sex Workers, an organization that supports the decriminalization of prostitution and other forms of consensual adult sex work.

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong is facing questions after reports that former child star and OnlyFans model Renee Olstead (aka Renee Faust) serves in a senior role on Hong’s Wisconsin gubernatorial campaign. https://t.co/6GeWQer8lL pic.twitter.com/8dgOwePTtV

— Drew Grimaldi (@Grimillionaire) August 8, 2026

That position overlaps with Hong’s record in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Hong introduced legislation that would decriminalize prostitution between consenting adults, remove criminal penalties for solicitation, and establish a “bill of rights” for sex workers.

The Hong campaign has defended Faust’s role and emphasized other parts of her professional background. In a statement reported by Fox News, the campaign described Faust as “a licensed mental health clinician who has spent her career providing care to trafficking survivors.” The campaign also credited her with helping build what it described as the largest grassroots campaign in Wisconsin history.

Conservative groups in the state have responded sharply.

Daniel Degner, president of Wisconsin Family Action, said voters should be concerned about the role Faust is playing in Hong’s campaign.

“Wisconsinites deserve to have serious people leading the state,” Degner said in a statement. “It is unbelievable to see that the likely Democratic nominee for governor has an active sex worker leading her campaign.”

The organization also questioned whether Faust could receive a government position if Hong were elected, asking whether voters should expect someone with her background to be elevated into an administration.

Hong has faced controversy over other issues as well. She previously drew criticism for a 2020 social media post calling for people to “cancel Thanksgiving,” framing the holiday as a celebration tied to colonialism. Hong has since sought to distance herself from the post.

She is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, a fact that has become another point of focus for critics as she seeks statewide office.

The Democrat nominee for governor of Wisconsin said that Thanksgiving should be canceled because it’s racist. Asked if she still believes Thanksgiving should be canceled, Hong delivers a total word salad without any answer to the question. pic.twitter.com/57u4c5wRZ5

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 4, 2026

Despite the controversies surrounding her candidacy, Hong has performed strongly in recent polling ahead of Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. Polls tracked by RealClearPolling have shown her holding sizable leads over her Democratic rivals as the primary approaches.

Her rise has also drawn criticism from longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, who recently described Hong as “a font of zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica.”

If Hong wins the Democratic nomination, she will advance to the general election and face the winner of the Republican primary. According to Ballotpedia, that contest includes Andrew Manske and Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany.

The growing attention around Faust’s role in Hong’s campaign adds another layer to an already highly ideological race. Supporters of Hong are likely to point to Faust’s work as a clinician and organizer, while critics are focusing on her involvement in the adult entertainment industry and her advocacy for decriminalizing prostitution.

As the primary nears, those competing portrayals are likely to remain part of the broader debate over Hong’s political agenda, the people advising her campaign, and the direction she would take Wisconsin if elected governor.

The Western Journal

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