A Surprise Exit Leaves Wisconsin Democrats With A DSA Frontrunner

Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes abruptly dropped out of the Democratic primary for governor Thursday, minutes after reports surfaced that party officials were bracing for a damaging media story about him.

“Last night I had a very difficult conversation with staff,” Barnes said in a social media video. “We’re incredibly proud of all the things that we’ve accomplished and all the resources that we have raised to spread our message. But it’s become very clear who our nominee is going to be.”

Politico reported Thursday that Wisconsin Democratic officials were expecting negative media coverage involving Barnes. Minutes later, Barnes announced he was suspending his campaign.

Republican political consultant Ryan Girdusky responded to the announcement by posting: “Woah…. They’re really trying to wrestle this away from Francesca Hong.” 

Hong, a 37-year-old state representative and dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has emerged as the frontrunner in Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, a race Republicans believe presents an opportunity to flip the governor’s mansion. 

Often compared to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Hong has campaigned on a Left-wing platform that includes abolishing ICE, imposing a one-year moratorium on data centers, creating government-owned grocery stores, and expanding government-funded childcare and paid family leave.

Hong also supports legalizing marijuana to fund high-speed broadband, creating a state-run development bank, establishing a 32-hour workweek without reducing pay, restoring voting rights to felons, and dramatically reducing the role of prisons and police, as The Daily Wire previously reported.

Hong’s rise has sparked concern from some establishment Democrats, who worry that nominating a Democratic socialist in a state President Donald Trump carried could improve Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany’s chances in the general election.  

Recent polling shows Hong holding a double-digit lead over established Democrats, including Barnes and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley briefly suspended his campaign before reviving it two weeks later with the backing of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. 

Asked about Barnes’ surprise exit, Evers said he had learned of it only moments earlier.

“I heard it about 30 seconds ago. Yeah, surprised,” he told a local reporter before reaffirming his backing of Crowley. “He’s the best candidate running, even if Mandela was in.”

Wisconsin’s Democratic primary is set for August 11. The contest is expected to test the strength of Democratic socialist candidates in the industrial Midwest following a string of recent victories in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Denver.

Prediction markets overwhelmingly favor Hong to win the primary.