Mandela Barnes Announces 2026 Bid for Wisconsin Governor

Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes has entered the race for governor. He will seek the Democratic nomination for the 2026 election. Barnes joins a growing field of Democratic candidates. They are competing for the open seat of current Governor Tony Evers, who cannot run again due to term limits. This move marks Barnes's return to major politics after a narrow statewide loss. In 2022, he was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate but lost to Republican Senator Ron Johnson by about one percentage point. The 2026 gubernatorial race in Wisconsin is expected to be highly competitive. Both major political parties view the state as a critical battleground.