Mandela Barnes. Image courtesy: WLUK
MADISON, WI (WSAU) – Mandela Barnes has entered the race for governor in Wisconsin.
His campaign released a video and news release early Tuesday morning.
Barnes had done well in early polling before announcing his candidacy. He’s widely considered the Democrat frontrunner, although he will first have to win the party’s primary in August 2026.
Barnes was lieutenant governor for four years, and has also served in the state legislature. He narrowly lost a U.S. Senate bid to Ron Johnson in 2022 by 27,000 votes.
In Barnes’ kick-off video he appeared in his father’s union jacket. He also attacked Donald Trump, saying the current administration “lower taxes for billionaires, higher prices for working people.” One clip from the video shows Trump wearing a crown and describes him as a chaos agent.
Wisconsin’s governors race is closely watched in a key battleground state. Donald Trump carried the state in 2016 and 2024. Joe Biden won here in 2020.
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