Democrat Mandela Barnes drops out of Wisconsin governor’s race

Key Points:

• Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes announced he is dropping out of the Democratic gubernatorial race less than two weeks before the primary, acknowledging state Rep. Francesca Hong's growing lead.
• Barnes' exit follows a turbulent Democratic primary marked by Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez's withdrawal over financial reporting issues and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley's re-entry into the race with Gov. Tony Evers' endorsement.
• Polling shows Hong leading with 38% support, Barnes at 16%, and Crowley at 7%, with a significant portion of voters undecided; Barnes had been the only top candidate polling ahead of the likely Republican nominee in a general election scenario.
• Crowley is expected to launch a late campaign blitz with Evers' backing to consolidate support from Barnes' former base, though strategists view this as a long-shot effort given the timing.
• Hong, a democratic socialist and state Assembly member, has expanded her voter coalition statewide, distancing herself from some past controversial positions while emphasizing policies like universal childcare, healthcare, and a ban on new data centers.