Former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes exited the Wisconsin governor race on Thursday after the state Democratic Party conducted a confidential review of 2025 sexual misconduct claims. The move reshapes the primary landscape ahead of the 11 August vote, leaving democratic socialist Francesca Hong as the leading candidate.
The party hired outside counsel to examine an anonymous letter that claimed Barnes leveraged his political position for sexual encounters with young women.
Two individuals familiar with the review told reporters the claims were too vague to verify, and the party took no formal disciplinary action against the former US Senate nominee.
Campaign Turmoil Reshapes the Race
Barnes confirmed his departure in an online video on Thursday, without mentioning the specific allegations whilst acknowledging Hong's lead in recent polling. 'It's become very clear who our nominee is going to be,' he noted.
His campaign denied any improper behaviour. Darby O'Connor, a spokesperson for Barnes, stated, 'There are no allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing against Mandela.'
Barnes and his core team spent much of Thursday deliberating his exit as they expected local media to publish a story regarding the internal review.
The primary race has already seen multiple changes. Earlier this month, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley suspended his campaign to endorse current Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez.
A week later, Rodriguez bowed out following discrepancies in her campaign finance reports. Crowley subsequently re-entered the contest, with an endorsement from incumbent Governor Tony Evers, who is not seeking re-election.
Hong Leads in the Polls
Evers expressed surprise at the Thursday development. Speaking to a local broadcaster, the governor said he was caught off guard by the exit. 'I don't know why he's getting out,' Evers stated, adding that he believed it must be for something relatively important.
Whilst party leaders are rallying around moderate figures like Crowley, polling indicates that voters are favouring a different direction. A Marquette University Law School poll conducted between 22 and 27 July placed Hong ahead with 38 percent of likely primary voters. Barnes stood at 16 percent, whilst Crowley trailed with 7 percent.
Hong, a three-term state representative, now faces the task of proving a vocal democratic socialist can win in a swing state. Some Democratic officials have raised questions over her ability to defeat the expected Republican nominee, US Representative Tom Tiffany, in a state where electoral margins are traditionally narrow.
Thank you, Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/FKDjCaPdJZ
— Mandela Barnes (@TheOtherMandela) July 30, 2026
Moderate Strategy and Remaining Contenders
With Barnes out, moderate Democrats hope his supporters will quickly move to Crowley, who is scheduled to campaign alongside Evers in the coming days. However, recent polling suggests this may be difficult, as 30 percent of Barnes's supporters currently favour Hong as their second choice.
State Senator Kelda Roys and former cabinet member Joel Brennan remain in the race, though both are polling in the single digits. Brennan confirmed his intention to stay the course, pledging to continue reaching voters directly.
As the 11 August primary approaches, attention turns to whether the moderate faction can unite behind a single candidate to challenge Hong's lead before voters cast their ballots across Wisconsin.
