Former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, a top candidate in the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin, U.S., suddenly stepped down on July 30, effectively securing the Democratic Party’s nomination for Rep. Francesca Hong, who is of Korean heritage.
In a video released on that day, Barnes said, “It has become very clear who our party’s candidate will be,” and “We must do everything to defeat Tom Tiffany, the Republican Party’s top candidate.” Despite not naming a particular candidate, his comments were seen as an implicit acknowledgment of Hong, who has been significantly ahead in recent polls, as the upcoming Democratic Party nominee.
Barnes’ departure occurred just before news of sexual misconduct accusations was scheduled to be released. The political media platform Politico stated that Barnes had talked with his team about stepping down as local media were getting ready to report claims that he exploited his role within the state Democratic Party to have sexual encounters with young women.
Later, the local daily newspaper Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published the claims against Barnes. Nevertheless, Barnes has not been charged with any crime, and the Democratic Party’s internal review did not result in any disciplinary measures. The team representing Barnes rejected the accusations, saying, “There are no claims of inappropriate or unlawful behavior.”
Following Barnes’ exit, the Democratic primary is now essentially a contest between Hong and David Crowley. Nevertheless, recent surveys show Hong leading with an approval rating of 38%, considerably higher than Crowley’s 7%. Barnes also performed much worse than Hong, securing only 16%.
In Washington political circles, it is believed that, unless there are any surprises, Hong is very likely to be the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Nevertheless, there are considerable worries both inside and outside the Democratic Party about Hong’s ability to win in the general election. This is due to Hong’s progressive views, as she describes herself as a Democratic Socialist, which might be a disadvantage with moderate and suburban voters in the key state of Wisconsin.
Certainly, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has publicly supported Crowley, who is more moderate, rather than Hong. The Democratic Party leadership has also openly voiced worries that selecting Hong might benefit the Republican Party.
The Republican Party seems to think that having Hong as the Democratic nominee would be beneficial. Tom Tiffany, the top Republican candidate, is anticipated to highlight Hong’s Democratic Socialist views in the general election, depicting her as an “extreme left” contender.
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