Barnes Exits Wisconsin Democratic Governor Primary as Hong Gains Momentum

Mandela Barnes announced his withdrawal from Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary Thursday through a video message shared on Facebook. The former lieutenant governor’s departure came as democratic socialist Francesca Hong consolidated support among the party’s progressive faction, leaving the field significantly narrowed.

Barnes is the third Democratic contender to exit the race. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez suspended her campaign two weeks prior following a campaign finance scandal, while former state economic development director Missy Hughes dropped out in June. Following Rodriguez’s withdrawal, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley re-entered the race with backing from Gov. Tony Evers.

The August 11 primary will determine who faces Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who encounters minimal competition in his party’s nomination contest. The Democratic shake-up occurs as nearly 128,000 absentee ballots have already been cast and early voting entered its third day.

Barnes’ exit contrasts with the 2022 U.S. Senate primary, where opposing candidates withdrew to clear the path for him. He ultimately lost that general election to incumbent Republican Ron Johnson by fewer than 27,000 votes. A judge on Wednesday rejected a Democratic Party-backed lawsuit seeking to allow voters who submitted absentee ballots to retrieve and recast them.