Mandela Barnes

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Mandela Barnes
MandelaBarnesSpeech.png
Barnes in November 2019
45th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Assumed office
January 7, 2019
GovernorTony Evers
Preceded byRebecca Kleefisch
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 11th district
In office
January 7, 2013 – January 3, 2017
Preceded byJason Fields
Succeeded byJason Fields
Personal details
Born
Jesse Mandela Barnes

(1986-12-01) December 1, 1986 (age 35)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations		Working Families
EducationAlabama A&M University (BA)
Signature
WebsiteCampaign website

J. Mandela Barnes (born December 1, 1986) is an American politician who has been the 45th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin since 2019.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he was the state representative for the 11th district from 2013 to 2017. Barnes is the first African American to serve as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor.[2][3]

Barnes was the Democratic nominee in the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin, losing to incumbent Republican Senator Ron Johnson in a tight race.[4]

Early life and education

Barnes was born in Milwaukee on December 1, 1986,[5][6][7] the son of a public school teacher and a United Auto Workers member. Jesse is his father's name and his middle name, Mandela, is a tribute to the anti-apartheid activist and first South African black president Nelson Mandela. Barnes says he has gone by his middle name since birth. His legal name is J. Mandela Barnes.[8]

Barnes attended Holy Redeemer Christian Academy in Milwaukee; Milwaukee Public Schools, including John Marshall High School; and Alabama A&M University.[8]

Barnes was involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) during college.[9] He has also said that Barack Obama's keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention inspired him to rethink his post-college career.[10]

In August 2019, Barnes admitted that he had never officially completed his bachelor's degree in 2008 due to incomplete coursework in one class that he called a "minor technical issue", contrary to previous statements that he had graduated from Alabama A&M.[11][12][13] He received his B.A. degree in communications media specializing in performance on May 1, 2020, after resolving the outstanding coursework issue with the university.[14]

Political career

Barnes worked for various political campaigns and in the office of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, eventually becoming an organizer for M.I.C.A.H., a Milwaukee-based interfaith coalition that advocates social justice.[15] He served as deputy director of strategic engagement for State Innovation Exchange, a national progressive public policy organization based in Madison, from December 2016[16] to December 2017.[17]

Wisconsin State Assembly (2013–2017)

Barnes in 2013

In April 2012, Barnes announced his candidacy for Wisconsin's 11th Assembly district, representing the north side of Milwaukee and a small part of Wauwatosa, challenging incumbent Jason Fields in the Democratic primary election.[18] His campaign made major issues of Fields's support for the school voucher program and opposition to limiting interest rates charged by payday loan companies, which can exceed a 500% annual percentage rate.[19][20]

Barnes defeated Fields in the August 2012 primary with 2,596 votes to Fields's 1,206.[21] In the November general election Barnes was unopposed.[22] He received 16,403 votes to 201 votes for others.[23]

As a state legislator in 2013, Barnes sponsored a bill that would have banned assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.[24]

Barnes was reelected in 2014 without a primary or general election challenge.[25]

Barnes sponsored a 2016 bill to eliminate cash bail. It would have barred judges from considering the "nature, number and gravity" of the charges and require the release a defendant unless there was "clear and convincing evidence" of flight risk or of danger to an individual or witness. In February 2022, his campaign told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Barnes still supports the proposal, and if elected to the Senate, he would support a bill to end cash bail nationwide.[26]

Barnes served on the Assembly Committees on Corrections, Education, Jobs & the Economy, and Small Business Development. He also chaired the legislature's Black and Latino Caucus and helped lead a number of international delegations to the Middle East and southeast Asia.[27]

2016 State Senate campaign

On April 11, 2016, Barnes announced that he would resign from the Assembly to launch a primary challenge against Lena Taylor, the Democratic incumbent in Wisconsin's 4th State Senate district. Political science professor and former State Senator Mordecai Lee expressed surprise, noting both the rarity of Democratic Senate primaries and Wisconsin's 90% reelection rate for incumbents.[28] Lee framed the race as reflecting the broader struggle in the Democratic Party, pitting a young progressive challenger against an older, more centrist incumbent.[29]

Barnes lost to Taylor in the August 9 election, with 7,433 votes to her 11,454.[30]

Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (2019–present)

2018 campaign

Barnes (at rear) with other elected officials at a March For Our Lives event

In January 2018, Barnes announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin in the 2018 election.[31] He was endorsed by U.S. Representative Mark Pocan, State Senators Tim Carpenter, Jon Erpenbach, La Tonya Johnson, Chris Larson, and Bob Wirch, and over 23 members of the Wisconsin State Assembly, including former gubernatorial candidate Dana Wachs. Barnes was also endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers Local 212, Communications Workers of America, Democracy for America, the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn.org, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin (PPAWI), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Auto Workers WI State CAP Council, and the Wisconsin Working Families Party.[32]

In June 2018, Barnes won the Democratic Party of Wisconsin straw poll with 80.9% of the vote, earning 617 out of 763 votes.[33] During the primary, his name was omitted from election notices in three newspapers in two different counties.[34] The day before the election, his picture was used in a local news report about a fatal motorcycle crash.[34]

On August 14, 2018, Barnes won the Democratic primary in a landslide over Sheboygan businessman Kurt Kober, and became the running mate of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tony Evers. Evers and Barnes won the November 2018 election, narrowly defeating incumbent Republicans Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch, 49.5% to 48.4%.[35] Barnes became Wisconsin's first African American lieutenant governor[36][37] and the nation's youngest lieutenant governor.[38]

Tenure

Barnes being sworn in as Lieutenant Governor, 2019

Barnes was appointed chair of the governor's task force on climate change in October 2019.[39] In December 2020, the task force released its report containing 55 policy recommendations to address climate change in the state.[40] For the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, he served as a vice-chair of both the convention and the host committee.[41][42]

In the first two months of his term, Barnes faced criticism for having logged more hours of security protection than the last lieutenant governor had in all of 2018, although Governor Evers's office approved the additional security.[43] In August 2022, the issue resurfaced when Barnes (now three years into his tenure) had reportedly used ten times as many security hours as his predecessor, who had declined security while doing personal tasks and did not run for the Senate while in office.[44]

In 2019, Barnes gave the Working Families Party response to the State of the Union address,[45] introducing himself as the "youngest lieutenant governor in America" and a "longtime leader in the Working Families Party."[46]

On August 24, 2020, the day after the shooting of Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Barnes said it was "not an accident", and "This wasn't bad police work. This felt like some sort of vendetta taken out on a member of our community."[34] On January 5, 2021, he condemned the district attorney's decision not to prosecute the officers who shot Blake, tweeting, "The non-prosecuting DAs are as negligent as the officers in these situations".[47][48]

2022 U.S. Senate campaign

Main article: 2022 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

On July 20, 2021, Barnes announced his candidacy for United States Senate in the 2022 election, contesting the seat held by Ron Johnson. Barnes was the eighth person to enter the race for the Democratic nomination.[49] If elected, he would be the first black person to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate.[50] By July 29, 2022, all of Barnes's major competitors had withdrawn from the race and endorsed him, leaving his way clear to be the presumptive Democratic nominee.[51]

Barnes and Johnson had the first of their two scheduled debates on October 7, 2022, in Milwaukee.[52]

Political positions

Barnes has branded himself as a progressive[50] and voted for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 Wisconsin presidential primaries.[53]

Abortion

Barnes supports legislation that would codify federal protections of abortion rights nationwide,[54] "to make Roe v Wade the law of the land",[55] and would eliminate the U.S. Senate filibuster to pass such a bill.[56][57][58]

Gun control

Barnes has said he will "prioritize preventing gun violence by keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people" if elected to the Senate,[59] saying in May 2022, "We can save lives or we can kowtow to the gun lobby."[60] He supports red-flag laws, universal background checks for gun sales, and bans on ghost guns, assault weapons, and high-capacity magazines. He would vote to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which gives manufacturers and dealers liability protection when a purchaser uses a firearm to commit a crime.[59]

Healthcare

Barnes supports Medicare for All[50][61] as well as incremental steps like lowering the age of enrollment from 65.[62] In September 2021, as a candidate for the Senate, Barnes said in a series of tweets, "In Washington, I’ll be one of the few elected officials that have actually been on one of the programs we fund and debate"[63] and, referring to when he was enrolled in the Medicaid-based program in 2018,[64] "I’ve been on BadgerCare, and I’ve seen how critical it is for working people."[65][66]

Other issues

Barnes supports a Green New Deal,[61][50] a $15/hour minimum wage,[52] eliminating cash bail nationwide,[26] and legalizing marijuana.[67]

Electoral history

2018 Wisconsin lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mandela Barnes 326,855 68.0%
Democratic Kurt Kober 153,994 32.0%
Total votes 480,839 100.0%
2018 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[68]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tony Evers/Mandela Barnes 1,324,648 49.6
Republican Scott Walker/Rebecca Kleefisch (Incumbent) 1,293,799 48.4
Libertarian Phil Anderson/Patrick Baird 20,320 0.8
Total votes 2,673,308 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

See also

References

  1. ^ "Democrat Tony Evers ousts Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker". Politico. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "Mandela Barnes". Wisconsin Historical Society. February 12, 2021. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Anderson, Andrea (November 7, 2018). "Mandela Barnes To Become First African-American Lieutenant Governor". Wisconsin Public Radio. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes joins US Senate race". AP NEWS. July 20, 2021. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "Barnestorming". Isthmus. August 9, 2019. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  6. ^ Jenz, Tom (January 12, 2021). "Mandela Barnes Opens Up About Milwaukee". Shepherd Express. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  7. ^ Shafer, Dan (August 10, 2022). "Opinion | Meet Mandela Barnes, the 35-Year-Old Candidate Working to Oust Ron Johnson". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Yu, Isaac. "Here's what you should know about Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin's lieutenant governor vying for a chance to beat Ron Johnson". Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  9. ^ Jenz, Tom (January 12, 2021). "Mandela Barnes Opens Up About Milwaukee". Shepherd Express. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  10. ^ Jenz, Tom (January 12, 2021). "Mandela Barnes Opens Up About Milwaukee". Shepherd Express. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  11. ^ Beck, Molly. "Mandela Barnes said months ago he 'finished' college but now says he didn't graduate". Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Brogan, Dylan (August 8, 2019). "Barnestorming". Isthmus | Madison, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  13. ^ "A year after telling public otherwise, Mandela Barnes says he hasn't completed college degree". madison.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  14. ^ Glauber, Bill (July 12, 2021). "Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes reveals he received college diploma in May 2020, 12 years after graduation ceremony". Milwaukee Journal Senitinel. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "Micah, Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope". www.micahempowers.org. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  16. ^ "SiX Welcomes Two New Staff Members: Press Secretary Margaret Ann Morgan and Deputy Director of Strategic Engagement Mandela Barnes - State Innovation Exchange". December 12, 2016. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  17. ^ "Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes was jobless, paid no income tax as he ran in 2018". madison.com. Wisconsin State Journal. Associated Press. September 18, 2021. Archived from the original on August 30, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  18. ^ Delong, Katie (April 10, 2012). "Mandela Barnes Announces Candidacy for State Assembly". Fox6.com. Fox 6 News. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  19. ^ "WisPolitics Election Blog: Progressives pull off series of wins in Milwaukee primaries". WisPolitics.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  20. ^ "Longtime state legislators Fields, Krusick lose in primaries". archive.jsonline.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  21. ^ "G.A.B Canvass Reporting System" (PDF). elections.wi.gov. Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 14, 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  22. ^ Richmond, Todd. "13 Wis. incumbents survive legislative primaries" RealClearPolitics August 15, 2012
  23. ^ ""G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System; County by County Report; 2012 Presidential and General Election" Wisconsin Governmental Accountability Board (Report Generated - 11/21/2012 1:57:46 PM); p. 11" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  24. ^ "2013 Assembly Bill 222". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  25. ^ "2014 Fall General Election Results". elections.wi.gov. Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 14, 2014. Archived from the original on December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  26. ^ a b Bice, Daniel. "Bice: U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes favors eliminating cash bail nationally, aide says". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  27. ^ "Meet Advisory Council Member: Mandela Barnes | Social X Website - Social X Milwaukee". socialxmke.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  28. ^ Williams, Justin (April 11, 2016). "Rep. Mandela Barnes Challenging Lena Taylor for Seat on Wisconsin Senate". Fox6.com. Fox 6 News. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  29. ^ Edmondson, Catie (July 3, 2016). "Lena Taylor and Mandela Barnes Face Off in Closely Watched Race". jsonline.com. Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  30. ^ "G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System County by County Report: 2016 Partisan Primary" (PDF). elections.wi.gov. Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 23, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  31. ^ "Former state Rep. Mandela Barnes announces run for lieutenant governor". CBS58. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  32. ^ "Wachs campaign: Endorses Mandela Barnes for Lt. Governor, says "experience matters"". www.wispolitics.com. June 25, 2018. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  33. ^ "Mandela Barnes Wins 2018 DPW Convention Straw Poll with 80.9% of the Vote". Urban Milwaukee. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  34. ^ a b c Stanley-Becker, Isaac. "The news was wrong: Mandela Barnes is alive, not dead. He's black, not white. And he just claimed a victory in Wisconsin". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  35. ^ "2018 Wisconsin Midterm Election Results". NPR.org. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  36. ^ "Mandela Barnes To Become First African-American Lieutenant Governor". Wisconsin Public Radio. November 7, 2018. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  37. ^ Mays, Gabrielle. "Mandela Barnes to become Wisconsin's first black lieutenant governor". WLUK. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  38. ^ "Mandela Barnes Makes History As Wisconsin's First Black Lieutenant Governor". Essence. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  39. ^ Bence, Susan (October 18, 2019). "'There's No More Later Left': Wisconsin Launches Climate Change Task Force". WUWM. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  40. ^ Bauer, Scott (December 11, 2020). "Wisconsin climate task force releases its recommendations". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021 – via Great Lakes Now.
  41. ^ "Democratic National Convention Announces 2020 Convention Officers, Schedule of Events". 2020 Democratic National Convention. July 30, 2020. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  42. ^ Meyer, Maredithe (October 24, 2019). "2020 DNC Host Committee announces official leadership structure". BizTimes - Milwaukee Business News. Archived from the original on October 28, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  43. ^ "The Latest: GOP roads deal limits security for lt. gov". AP NEWS. June 7, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  44. ^ "Barnes' security costs become campaign issue in Senate run". AP NEWS. August 30, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  45. ^ Barrow, Bill (February 6, 2019). "Abrams rebuts Trump: 'We do not succeed alone'". Newspapers.com. Associated Press. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  46. ^ Rappleye, Erin (February 6, 2019). "Mandela Barnes Delivers WFP State of the Union Response". Working Families Party. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  47. ^ "Mandela Barnes via Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  48. ^ Conklin, Melanie (January 5, 2021). "Lt. Gov. Barnes labels Kenosha DA's decision a negligent failure". Wisconsin Examiner. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  49. ^ Schmidt, Mitchell; Vetterkind, Riley (July 20, 2021). "Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes joins crowded Democratic field for US Senate". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  50. ^ a b c d "'A true believer': Why Mandela Barnes thinks his progressive ideas can win in purple Wisconsin". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  51. ^ Glauber, Bill; Bice, Daniel (July 29, 2022). "Sarah Godlewski withdraws from Wisconsin U.S. Senate Democratic primary, clearing path for Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes". Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  52. ^ a b "Ron Johnson, Mandela Barnes clash on issues, hit talking points in first 2022 debate". PBS Wisconsin. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  53. ^ @TheOtherMandela (April 8, 2020). "No regrets about having voted for him both times" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  54. ^ Kremer, Rich (June 26, 2022). "Democratic US Senate candidates call for ending filibuster to restore federal abortion protections". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  55. ^ Kremer, Rich (June 26, 2022). "Democratic US Senate candidates call for ending filibuster to restore federal abortion protections". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  56. ^ Marley, Patrick. "Mandela Barnes in Senate bid calls for ending the filibuster and expanding voting rights". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  57. ^ Venhuizen, Harm (August 9, 2022). "Democratic candidates rally around abortion — are they reaching Black voters?". PBS Wisconsin. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  58. ^ Wise, David (July 13, 2022). "Barnes ad focuses on abortion". WisPolitics. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  59. ^ a b Opoien, Jessie. "What Wisconsin's 2022 candidates say they will do to prevent gun violence". The Cap Times. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  60. ^ "For the Record: Renewed calls for gun control; A sudden gap on the Wisconsin Election Commission". Channel3000.com. May 31, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  61. ^ a b Marley, Bill Glauber and Patrick. "Chris Larson suspends Democratic U.S. Senate campaign, endorses Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes". Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  62. ^ Hatfield, Christine (June 24, 2022). "Top Democratic Senate primary candidates call for ending filibuster, expanding health care in virtual forum". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  63. ^ "Mandela Barnes via Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  64. ^ "2 Wisconsin Senate Candidates Paid No Income Taxes". Newsweek. September 17, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  65. ^ "Mandela Barnes via Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  66. ^ "Barnes paid no income tax, was on BadgerCare in 2018". 7WSAW-TV. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  67. ^ "Stimulus Relief, Incarceration, Legalizing Marijuana: Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes Answers Your Questions". WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  68. ^ "Wisconsin Governor Election Results". New York Times. January 28, 2019. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mandela Barnes.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Assembly
from the 11th district
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
Jason Fields
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Wisconsin
(Class 3)
2022 		Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
2019–present 		Incumbent
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