RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 6 sourcesFormer Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes announced Thursday that he is dropping out of the Democratic race for governor less than two weeks out from the primary. “Last night I had a very difficult conversation with staff,” Barnes said in a video on X. “We’re incredibly proud of all the things that we’ve accomplished and all the resources that we have raised to spread our message. But it’s become very clear who our nominee is going to be.” That statement is a clear nod to state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist who has expanded her polling lead ahead of the Aug. 11 primary. Barnes’ decision to exit the race is just the latest major development to rock what has been a volatile Democratic primary to replace outgoing Gov. Tony Evers in the key battleground state. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, whom more moderate Democrats saw as a leading contender, dropped out of the contest this month following the discovery of major inaccuracies related to the campaign’s financial reporting. That prompted Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to re-enter the race with Evers’ endorsement days after he had ended his campaign. NBC News also revealed the existence of a years-old social media account registered to Crowley that featured incendiary posts about women and race, along with derogatory LGBTQ references. A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday found Hong with the support of 38% of Democratic primary voters in the state, followed by Barnes, with 16% support, and Crowley, with 7%. Another 34% said they were undecided. Still, Barnes’ move could give Crowley a boost among Democrats who are looking for an alternative to Hong, who some in the party fear would be a weak general election candidate in the swing state due to her progressive views. According to Marquette’s polling, Barnes had been the only candidate among the top three Democratic options with a lead in a hypothetical general election matchup over Rep. Tom Tiffany, the likely Republican nominee. A Crowley supporter with knowledge of the team’s strategy said Thursday that a blitz with Evers, the two-term governor, was on the way, including ads and campaign events. “The last two weeks people are tuning in,” the person said, adding, “Evers’ name means something with voters.” But the person said that the campaign realizes the eleventh-hour gambit is a “Hail Mary” and that Evers’ endorsement may have come too late. A Wisconsin Democratic operative said Barnes’ exit “opens a huge door for David Crowley.” Crowley directly addressed Barnes’ supporters Thursday afternoon on X. “To everyone who backed Mandela: there’s a place for you in what we’re building,” he wrote. Barnes, 39, was once seen as a rising star in the party. After having served in the state Assembly, he went on to become the first Black lieutenant governor in Wisconsin history during Evers’ first term. He won the Democratic nomination in the state’s 2022 Senate race but lost by fewer than 27,000 votes to GOP Sen. Ron Johnson. That narrow defeat, which came as Evers won a second term, had led some Democrats to wonder whether he deserved another crack at a high-stakes statewide race. Hong, 37, a single mother and former restaurant owner who has served in the state Assembly since 2021, has unexpectedly surged to the top of the Democratic gubernatorial field this summer. Her campaign has boasted of a broad network of volunteers and door-knockers it says have helped introduce her to voters across the state. Asked in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press NOW” on Thursday whether she was seeking Barnes’ endorsement, Hong replied, “At this time, I am undecided.” She added that her campaign’s focus is “welcoming everyone to our movement” and that “we are certain that many of the former lieutenant governor’s supporters share our values.” Hong has faced scrutiny for her past calls to defund and abolish the police, though she has backed away from those positions in recent weeks. During her interview with “Meet the Press Now” she also distanced herself from the national Democratic Socialists for America, saying “there are issues that I disagree on” with the group. Instead, she has tried to focus on her support for universal childcare and healthcare and a ban on building new data centers. “We have built a statewide coalition with voters in every corner of Wisconsin — independents, moderates, Republicans, Democrats — who are with us on the issues,” she told “Meet the Press Now.” “I am focused on ensuring that we are an administration that is focused on delivering for working-class Wisconsinites, not on the labels.”
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