Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has dropped out of the Democratic primary race for governor of Wisconsin, effectively clearing a path for democratic socialist Francesca Hong to become the party’s nominee. Barnes stated Thursday that “it's become very clear who our nominee is going to be,” signaling his assessment of Hong’s leading position in polls. The decision comes as Democratic officials braced for the release of potentially damaging news reports about Barnes, according to Politico.
The Washington Examiner reported Barnes informed staff of his decision during a conversation, while NBC News and The New York Times simply stated he was ending his campaign. No sources detailed the content of those reports or what specific issues prompted concern. Barnes previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 but was defeated.
The Hill noted that Barnes struggled to gain traction in polling data, contributing to the decision. While no right-leaning outlets reported on this development, left and lean-left sources uniformly covered Barnes’ withdrawal and highlighted Hong's current standing as a frontrunner. The timing of Barnes’ exit suggests an effort to consolidate support behind a single candidate before the primary election.
The circumstances surrounding Barnes’ departure—the anticipation of damaging reports and his assessment of Hong’s poll numbers—raise questions about the nature of those undisclosed issues and their impact on his campaign.
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