Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes suspended his campaign for governor Thursday, reshaping the Democratic primary less than two weeks before the Aug. 11 election.

Announcing his decision on social media, Barnes said he informed his staff Wednesday night that he was ending his campaign.

Barnes’ exit clears a major obstacle for state Rep. Francesca Hong, positioning the democratic socialist as the Democratic front-runner in the key battleground state. Though he did not formally endorse another candidate by name, Barnes’ comments appeared to signal support for Hong.

“It’s become very clear who our nominee is going to be,” Barnes said in a post on X. “The number one goal was taking on and defeating Tom Tiffany to deliver big wins for Democrats up and down the ticket, and now it’s our time to come together to focus our efforts on that one goal.”

A new Marquette Law School Poll released Wednesday found Hong leading the Democratic primary with 38% support, followed by Barnes at 16% and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley at 7%. 

Although the poll carries a relatively large margin of error, Hong remains safely in the lead. It’s unclear which remaining candidate Barnes’ supporters will ultimately back.

Barnes, 39, served as Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor under Democratic Gov. Tony Evers from 2019 to 2023. He became the first Black candidate nominated statewide by a major party in Wisconsin when he won the Democratic nomination for the Senate in 2022. He narrowly lost that race to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson before launching his gubernatorial campaign after Evers decided against seeking a third term.

Hong, a member of the Wisconsin Legislature and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has built her campaign around expanding healthcare, affordable housing, childcare and workers’ rights. Her rise has unsettled some Democrats who worry her progressive politics could make it harder to defeat Tiffany in November in a closely divided state.

Hong welcomed Barnes’ supporters, saying his campaign “helped grow the progressive movement” and invited them to join her effort to build “a government that fights” for working families.

Crowley also attempted to appeal directly to Barnes’ supporters after he dropped out of the race Thursday, writing on X, “To everyone who backed Mandela: there’s a place for you in what we’re building.”

Barnes said defeating Tiffany was critical for Wisconsinites, arguing they face threats to healthcare, rising childcare costs and mounting financial pressures.

His decision to exit the race came as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel continued reporting on allegations that he used his position to pursue sexual relationships with young adult women. The Wisconsin Democratic Party reviewed an anonymous letter detailing the allegations but, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Washington Post, it concluded the claims were “too vague” to substantiate and didn’t pursue the matter further.

MS NOW did not independently review the allegations, and a campaign spokesperson for Barnes denied any misconduct.

“There are no allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing against Mandela,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Despite suspending his campaign, Barnes pledged to remain politically active.

“I’ll never give up my fight for Wisconsin,” he said. “We have to do everything we possibly can to defeat Tom Tiffany, and that’s exactly what I’m committed to doing for the next 96 days.”

Democratic socialist candidates have scored a series of high-profile primary victories this election cycle, underscoring the growing influence of the party’s left wing. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani helped propel a slate of progressive candidates to congressional primary wins, including the defeats of two incumbent House Democrats, while other democratic socialist candidates have gained traction in races across the country. 

If Hong captures Wisconsin’s nomination, it would provide another sign that progressive candidates are reshaping Democratic primaries, even as party leaders remain divided over whether such nominees can win competitive general elections.

Shawna Thomas contributed to this report.

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