Mandela Barnes joins race for governor

A crowded field in the race to become Wisconsin’s next governor grew even more crowded, as former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes launched his campaign. Barnes, who represented the state’s 11th Assembly District from 2013 to 2017, served as Lieutenant Governor with Gov. Tony Evers from 2019 to 2023. He left his post to run for U.S. Senate but lost by just 1% of the vote to Sen. Ron Johnson in the 2022 election. In a video announcing his campaign, Barnes took aim at President Donald Trump for an increase in prices and tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. He vowed to take on the President and work to expand Wisconsin’s largest Medicaid program, BadgerCare. The first big hurdle for Barnes’ campaign will be the Democratic primary, scheduled for Aug. 11, 2026. He faces a field of more than half-a-dozen candidates.