Politics

Mandela Barnes drops out of Wisconsin governor race

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has dropped out of the Wisconsin governor's race just days before the primary, following poor polling and reports of an internal investigation.

By Marcus Hale · 30 July 2026, 22:05 · 3 min read

Mandela Barnes drops out of Wisconsin governor race

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes announced Thursday, July 30, 2026, that he is suspending his campaign for governor of Wisconsin. The announcement comes less than two weeks before the August 11 primary in a volatile race to replace outgoing Gov. Tony Evers.

In a video posted to X, Barnes stated that after a very difficult conversation with staff, it had become very clear who our nominee is going to be. While he did not name the candidate in the video, the statement follows a Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday that showed state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, leading with 38% support among Democratic primary voters. Barnes followed in second with 16%.

The exit comes as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports on an investigation into allegations that Barnes was taking advantage of his role in the party to have sexual encounters with young adult women. A Politico report noted that Barnes' announcement arrived as damaging media reports were expected to be published. According to the Journal Sentinel, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin hired a law firm in 2025 to examine similar claims, though that probe found nothing actionable because the allegations were anonymous and unspecific. Barnes has not been accused of any crimes.

Barnes, 39, entered the contest with the highest statewide recognition of all Democratic candidates, holding a name ID of 61% compared to 29% for Hong. However, he faced skepticism since launching his campaign last December. Some of these doubts stemmed from his 2022 U.S. Senate bid, where he lost to Republican Ron Johnson by fewer than 27,000 votes, or roughly one percent. A 2025 editorial in The Milwaukee Courier suggested it was time for a new chapter because Barnes didn’t close during that opportunity.

The Democratic field has been marked by instability. Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out following the discovery of major inaccuracies in campaign financial reporting. This prompted Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to re-enter the race with the endorsement of Gov. Evers after having previously ended his own campaign. Crowley's return was complicated by an NBC News report detailing a years-old social media account featuring derogatory references to the LGBTQ community and incendiary posts about race and women.

Despite these controversies, one Wisconsin Democratic operative stated that Barnes' exit opens a huge door for David Crowley. In the Marquette poll, Crowley held 7% support. He may now attract Democrats who view Hong as a weak general election candidate due to her progressive views. According to the polling data, Barnes had been the only candidate among the top three Democratic options who held a lead in a hypothetical general election matchup against U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the presumptive Republican nominee endorsed by President Donald Trump.

A supporter of Crowley said Thursday that a campaign blitz featuring Gov. Evers is planned, including events and ads. While the supporter acknowledged the move is a Hail Mary and that the endorsement might be too late, they emphasized that Evers’ name means something with voters.

Barnes called for party unity in his departure, stating, this is life or death in the effort to beat Tom Tiffany. He cited concerns over the loss of health care under the Trump administration and the financial pressure on people who cannot afford child care.

The race now remains a four-way contest between: