MADISON, WISCONSIN – Democrat Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin’s former lieutenant governor and narrowly defeated 2022 U.S. Senate candidate, officially entered the state’s open race for governor on Tuesday. With high name recognition and an established statewide fundraising network, Barnes is seen as the presumptive front-runner in a Democratic primary crowded with lesser-known candidates lacking similar infrastructure.
Barnes’ campaign launch highlights both his working-class roots and critiques of former President Donald Trump, accusing him of prioritizing “lower taxes for billionaires” while driving up costs for everyday residents. At the same time, Barnes frames himself as a pragmatic candidate appealing to independent and swing voters, emphasizing economic issues and affordability over partisan divisions. While some Democrats remain wary due to his narrow Senate loss to Republican incumbent Ron Johnson by less than 27,000 votes, Barnes points to his voter engagement group, Forward Together Wisconsin, and political action committee as key assets heading into the governor’s race.
The open race for governor follows Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ decision not to seek a second term. Barnes joins a field that includes current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong, and former state economic development director Missy Hughes. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a strong Trump supporter, leads the field with a challenge from Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.
Wisconsin remains a deeply competitive state, having narrowly voted for Trump in 2016 and 2024, and for Joe Biden in 2020, all by margins under one percentage point. The governor’s race, with an August primary narrowing the field for the November election, is expected to be a top-tier contest next year as Democrats seek to leverage redrawn, more favorable legislative maps while Republicans aim to maintain control. Barnes, if elected, would become Wisconsin’s first Black governor.