Mandela Barnes Exits Wisconsin Governor Race

Mandela Barnes announced his withdrawal from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, less than two weeks before the August 11 election. The former lieutenant governor shared this update through a video on his Facebook page. His decision coincides with a surge in support for Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, who has gained favor with the liberal segment of the party.

A recent Marquette Law School poll showed Hong significantly ahead of Barnes and other candidates, although many voters remain undecided. Barnes stated, “It’s become very clear who our nominee is going to be.” He became the third candidate to withdraw from the race.

Earlier, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her campaign due to a finance scandal, and Missy Hughes, a former state economic development director, dropped out in June. Post-Rodriguez’s exit, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley returned to the race with the endorsement of Governor Tony Evers. Crowley appealed to Barnes’ supporters, saying, “There’s a place for you in what we’re building.”

Governor Evers expressed his surprise at Barnes’ decision, noting, “But he needs to do what he needs to do.” Evers maintained his support for Crowley, citing his collaboration with both Evers and Republican lawmakers on local community funding initiatives. Evers believed Crowley was the best candidate even with Barnes in the race. Francesca Hong did not respond to requests for comment on the development.

Joel Brennan, another candidate, remarked, “It’s unfortunate for voters that this primary has gotten more attention for chaos than the stakes of this election.” The race’s dynamics have shifted significantly as over 128,000 absentee ballots have been returned and in-person voting is underway.

A recent court decision denied a lawsuit backed by the Democratic Party to allow voters to cancel and redo absentee ballots. The Democratic primary winner will likely face U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who has Trump’s endorsement, in the general election. Tiffany has minimal opposition in the Republican primary. He did not respond to inquiries for comment.

Barnes’ departure is notable as he previously benefited from other Democratic candidates bowing out during the Senate primary in 2022, clearing the field for his run. He narrowly lost that year to Republican Senator Ron Johnson by under 27,000 votes.