Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has entered Wisconsin’s 2026 race for governor.
His campaign team released a video on Tuesday morning in which Barnes said that he “knows how to bring people together” and lamented that under President Trump, “families that are doing everything right are falling behind.”
“Here’s the reality check. The only way for our state to move forward is to reject the Washington way and get things done the Wisconsin way,” Barnes said.
“It isn’t about left or right. It’s not about who can yell the loudest. It’s about whether people can afford to live in the state they call home,” he continued. “A state where you can afford your health care. Where your kids can learn a skill and stay close to home. Where a good day’s work earns a good day’s pay. And where families can not only get by, but thrive.”
Barnes, who became Wisconsin’s first African American lieutenant governor in 2018, gained more statewide name recognition after losing a tight race (1 percentage point) to Republican U.S. Sen Ron Johnson in 2022.
