Mandela Barnes
Candidate, Governor (WI) · Democratic · Wisconsin
Mandela Barnes is a former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor and the 2022 Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, running in the 2026 Democratic primary for Governor.
Profile last updated Sep 7, 2026 · Center Field Politics
Summary
A progressive former Lieutenant Governor and 2022 Senate nominee seeking a comeback in the governor’s race.
Recent Action
Entered the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Where They Stand
Stances on the issues many voters care most about. Where a candidate has not given a clear answer we mark it "Mixed / Partial" or "Unclear" rather than guess. Positions are drawn from official records and bias-labeled news sources; they are descriptive only and are never scored.
Environment—Supports3
Climate protections and regulation versus fewer climate-related regulations on industry.
A strong backer of clean energy and climate action.
Healthcare—Supports3
Expanding healthcare coverage for all versus expanding market-based, private insurance.
Supports expanding coverage, including Medicaid expansion and broader access.
Second Amendment—Supports3
New firearm regulations versus no new firearm regulations.
Supports universal background checks and red-flag laws.
Immigration—Supports3
Pathways to citizenship versus a closed-border approach.
Backs a path to citizenship and legal pathways.
Roe v. Wade—Supports3
Protecting access to abortion versus restricting access to abortion.
A strong abortion-rights supporter.
National Security—Unclear3
Whether diplomacy or military strength should be the primary national-security priority.
No prominent public position on U.S. military action against Iran is documented in the current snapshot.
Party Loyalty
Party-line alignment on major recorded votes.
As Lieutenant Governor he promoted the state and worked on economic-development and clean-energy task forces; his record is generally progressive.
Follow the Money
The former Lieutenant Governor files with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission (CFIS), not the FEC. Raised roughly $6.2M for a 2026 gubernatorial bid; outside spending is shown as not disclosed because Wisconsin does not publish a consolidated independent-expenditure total in the same feed. Raised $6.2M for the 2026 cycle (Jul 2026 filing (gubernatorial primary)), filed with Wisconsin Ethics Commission — Campaign Finance.
Total raised (cycle 2026): $6,200,000 · Outside influence: Low