Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes Withdraws from Democratic Gubernatorial Primary
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Mandela Barnes ended his campaign for Wisconsin governor after a televised debate and new polls showed state Rep. Francesca Hong leading the Democratic primary, while the party's internal review found no actionable evidence regarding recent allegations.
Former lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes announced on July 30 that he is withdrawing from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor. His decision follows a televised debate and the release of statewide polling that placed state Rep. Francesca Hong with a substantial lead over other candidates.
Barnes said in a video message that the likely nominee had become clear and reiterated his original goal of defeating Republican incumbent Tom Tiffany to secure Democratic victories across the ticket.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the withdrawal coincided with ongoing coverage of allegations that Barnes may have used his party position to engage in sexual encounters with young adult women. The newspaper noted that the state Democratic Party hired an external law firm in 2025 to investigate similar anonymous claims, but the internal review and outside probe found no actionable evidence, and Barnes has not been charged with any crime.
Campaign finance filings released on July 15 showed Barnes raised $1.4 million, the most among Democratic contenders, but his campaign expenditures left a cash balance of about $204,000 at the end of June. Further fundraising reports for July are due on Aug. 3.
Barnes, who served in the state Assembly beginning in 2012 and was elected lieutenant governor in 2018, previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, losing by roughly one percentage point. After Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez exited the race earlier this month amid reports of financial disarray, the primary field shifted, with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley re-entering the contest after receiving an endorsement from Gov. Tony Evers, who did not endorse Barnes.