Mandela Barnes, the former Wisconsin lieutenant governor and frontrunner in the state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, withdrew from the race Thursday amid an investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel into allegations that he used his position in the state Democratic Party to have sexual encounters with young adult women.
Barnes made the announcement on social media, telling followers he had a “difficult conversation” with his staff the night before. “It’s become very clear who our nominee is gonna be,” he said, citing the August 11 primary. He did not address the Journal Sentinel’s investigation in his statement.
The paper reported its reporting had found Barnes was “taking advantage of his role in the party to have sexual encounters with young adult women,” prompting an investigation last year by the Wisconsin Democratic Party itself. Barnes has not been charged with any crime. His campaign spokesman said “there are no allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing against Mandela.”
The exit scrambles a Democratic primary already in disarray less than two weeks before the August 11 vote. Barnes had been polling second in the race with 16% support, according to a Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday. State Rep. Francesca Hong led the field at 38%, with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley third at 7%.
Roughly 128,000 Wisconsin voters had already returned absentee ballots when Barnes dropped out, a Dane County judge having ruled just one day earlier that those voters cannot spoil their ballots and vote again. Barnes’ name will remain on the ballot.
Barnes is the third significant candidate to exit the primary this month. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out two weeks ago after her finance manager was found to have mishandled campaign funds, leaving the campaign with hundreds of thousands of dollars less than expected. Former state economic development director Missy Hughes dropped out earlier in the summer.
Gov. Tony Evers, who is not seeking a third term, said he learned of Barnes’ departure while touring tornado damage in Menasha. “I don’t know why he’s getting out. I have to believe it’s something relatively important,” Evers told reporters. Evers has endorsed Crowley and said Thursday he still believes Crowley is the strongest candidate to face Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in November. Tiffany has raised $8 million for his gubernatorial campaign and faces only nominal primary opposition.
The Wisconsin governor’s race is considered a marquee contest heading into the fall. Democrats must now coalesce behind a candidate with twelve days to go, a shrinking field, and more than 100,000 absentee ballots already locked in.
