Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes kicked off his campaign for governor on Tuesday, positioning it as a “reality check.” He shared his message through a campaign video posted on YouTube.
Barnes narrowly lost the Senate race last year to Ron Johnson but has now decided to run for the position of Governor after Tony Evers revealed that he would not be pursuing a third term.
“For our state to progress, we need to turn away from the Washington way and embrace the Wisconsin way. It isn’t just about left or right. It’s about whether people can afford to live in their own state,” Barnes commented in his video.
He emphasized issues of affordability and criticized former President Donald Trump for creating a “distraction” and “chaos” to escape accountability.
Interestingly, Barnes is currently the only Republican candidate gearing up for the 2025 gubernatorial election, adopting some of Trump’s campaign strategies.
Barnes further described the current political landscape as disconnected from reality. He remarked, “It’s all about performance, not the real world. Families trying to do the right thing are still struggling.” He highlighted his experience as lieutenant governor and his ability to unite people and achieve results.
On the Democratic side, the race for governor in 2026 is already getting crowded. At least six significant candidates are in the mix, including Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes, and former state Rep. Brett Halsey.
Some Wisconsin Democrats indicated to Politico that they don’t expect Barnes to significantly narrow the candidate field as he did in the 2022 Senate primary.
The primary election is set for August 11, 2026, and the Cook Political Report has currently categorized this race as a “toss-up.”
Previous Republican candidates considered include Congressman Tom Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Schoeman.
