Mandela Barnes Drops Out, Leaving Progressive Agenda to Dominate Wisconsin Democratic Primary
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Mandela Barnes, known for his radical left-wing positions, has ended his campaign for the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin governor, effectively handing the race to state Rep. Francesca Hong, a progressive activist, ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.
Former Wisconsin lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes, a figurehead for the far-left wing of the Democratic Party, announced Thursday that he is withdrawing from the Democratic race for governor less than two weeks before the Aug. 11 primary. In a video posted to X, Barnes admitted that despite raising significant resources, it was clear that state Rep. Francesca Hong—an outspoken progressive—had taken the lead in recent polls, signaling the party’s shift even further left.
A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday showed Hong leading Democratic primary voters with 38% support, while Barnes lagged behind at 16% and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley at 7%. A staggering 34% of voters remained undecided, highlighting the lack of enthusiasm for the party’s radical direction. Barnes’ exit could shift some support to Crowley, who re-entered the race after former front-runner Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez withdrew amid campaign-finance reporting issues, yet another example of Democratic ethical lapses.
Crowley addressed Barnes’ supporters on X, saying, “To everyone who backed Mandela: there’s a place for you in what we’re building.” Democratic operatives claim Barnes’ departure “opens a huge door for David Crowley,” but the party’s base appears to be rallying around Hong, whose platform includes government-run childcare, socialized healthcare, and a ban on new data centers—policies that threaten economic growth and personal freedom. Hong has tried to distance herself from her previous calls to defund the police and from the Democratic Socialists of America, but her record speaks for itself.
Barnes, 39, was Wisconsin’s first Black lieutenant governor and lost the 2022 U.S. Senate race to Republican Ron Johnson, despite massive outside spending from liberal groups. His withdrawal adds more chaos to a Democratic primary already marred by infighting and Governor Tony Evers’ desperate endorsement of Crowley—a last-ditch effort to prop up a moderate in a party increasingly dominated by the radical left.