Democrats in Turmoil: Barnes’ Comeback Threatens Party Unity

Paul Riverbank, 12/3/2025Mandela Barnes jumps into Wisconsin’s wide-open governor’s race, promising affordability and unity in a divided state where every vote counts. With crowded fields on both sides, this contest will shape not just the governorship but the state’s political future.

For Barnes, there’s something familiar about these early days. He’s got the kind of name recognition that doesn’t need much introduction, from the diner counters in Rhinelander to union meetings in Kenosha. That gives him a jump out the gate, as does a fundraising machine that’s already humming. Still, no coronation here. The Democratic primary is getting crowded—six other ambitious names are already jostling for position. Tony Evers’ decision to step aside leaves a vacuum, and any of them could fill it.

This is Wisconsin, after all. Voters here don’t do predictable; they nearly split down the middle in three straight presidential elections. Trump, Biden, Trump again—the only constant has been razor-thin margins. Every slip, every handshake missed, could cost a contender the statehouse.

Barnes’ opening salvo is a campaign video heavy on working-class nostalgia and light on culture war bickering. He stands in a modest kitchen, insists, “It’s not about left or right.” He swats at the noise he thinks infects much of national politics—a world of viral outrage and fleeting performances, disconnected from whether people can pay their bills or keep their homes. Someone in the video slices bread; it’s subtle, but the point lands: families are working, but still falling behind. The focus is affordability.

It’s a calculated pitch. Barnes spent four years casting himself as a coalition-builder, a uniter. Yet, within Democratic circles, not everyone’s so convinced. The ink on his 2022 loss to Ron Johnson in the Senate race is still wet to some. The Milwaukee Courier, a voice in the Black community, wrote pointedly: “Mandela had his opportunity. He didn’t close. And that means it’s time for a new chapter.” Some activists fear the party’s fragile coalition could splinter, especially if independent voters are reminded of old wounds.

Supporters counter that Barnes didn’t vanish after the loss. He founded Forward Together Wisconsin, rolled up sleeves in voter outreach efforts, and stacked up a political action committee. “He’s doing the work,” a Milwaukee volunteer said, brushing snow off a clipboard. “It’s not just another campaign.”

The race is far from a one-man show. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who has quietly built a reputation for execution over drama, was first to declare. Then there’s David Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive, who brings local government muscle. The Democratic bench rounds out with state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong—whose restaurant became a hub for pandemic-era activism—and Missy Hughes, the woman who oversaw billions in business aid at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Any of them could catch fire before August 2026.

Republicans, for their part, are hardly sitting out. Congressman Tom Tiffany isn’t shy about his ties to Donald Trump; he pitches himself as a fighter for the state’s forgotten corners. Washington County’s Josh Schoemann represents a newer face, but both men hope to ride a wave of Republican gains. Either could pose a formidable challenge, especially with swing voters up for grabs.

The broader stakes are hard to ignore. Party operatives look beyond the governor’s mansion to the Legislature, where newly competitive maps have both sides smelling opportunity. Two congressional seats hang in the balance, and flipping either could tip the scales in Washington.

History hangs heavy over this contest. The last time Wisconsin had an open governor’s race, Scott Walker’s two terms upended state politics. Tony Evers snatched the job away in 2018, but only by a whisker—and repeated that feat in 2022. If you’re counting votes here, every few hundred matter.

So as campaign signs crop up between cornfields and college dorms, everyone’s watching: Can Barnes build the kind of coalition needed to hold together a state always on the edge? Or will a fresh face, overlooked in the early jostling, seize this rare moment? From rural taverns to city buses, the future of Wisconsin is once again anyone’s guess.

It’s a damp spring morning in Wisconsin, and Mandela Barnes is shaking off the disappointment of 2022 as he heads to another VFW hall. There’s coffee brewing in the back, handshakes all around. He’s not a newcomer on this path—his face splashed across state news cycles when he served as lieutenant governor, then again, just two years ago, when he narrowly missed the Senate. Now, his name is back on campaign flyers, this time in bold: Barnes wants to be governor.For Barnes, there’s something familiar about these early days. He’s got the kind of name recognition that doesn’t need much introduction, from the diner counters in Rhinelander to union meetings in Kenosha. That gives him a jump out the gate, as does a fundraising machine that’s already humming. Still, no coronation here. The Democratic primary is getting crowded—six other ambitious names are already jostling for position. Tony Evers’ decision to step aside leaves a vacuum, and any of them could fill it.This is Wisconsin, after all. Voters here don’t do predictable; they nearly split down the middle in three straight presidential elections. Trump, Biden, Trump again—the only constant has been razor-thin margins. Every slip, every handshake missed, could cost a contender the statehouse.Barnes’ opening salvo is a campaign video heavy on working-class nostalgia and light on culture war bickering. He stands in a modest kitchen, insists, “It’s not about left or right.” He swats at the noise he thinks infects much of national politics—a world of viral outrage and fleeting performances, disconnected from whether people can pay their bills or keep their homes. Someone in the video slices bread; it’s subtle, but the point lands: families are working, but still falling behind. The focus is affordability.It’s a calculated pitch. Barnes spent four years casting himself as a coalition-builder, a uniter. Yet, within Democratic circles, not everyone’s so convinced. The ink on his 2022 loss to Ron Johnson in the Senate race is still wet to some. The Milwaukee Courier, a voice in the Black community, wrote pointedly: “Mandela had his opportunity. He didn’t close. And that means it’s time for a new chapter.” Some activists fear the party’s fragile coalition could splinter, especially if independent voters are reminded of old wounds.Supporters counter that Barnes didn’t vanish after the loss. He founded Forward Together Wisconsin, rolled up sleeves in voter outreach efforts, and stacked up a political action committee. “He’s doing the work,” a Milwaukee volunteer said, brushing snow off a clipboard. “It’s not just another campaign.”The race is far from a one-man show. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who has quietly built a reputation for execution over drama, was first to declare. Then there’s David Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive, who brings local government muscle. The Democratic bench rounds out with state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong—whose restaurant became a hub for pandemic-era activism—and Missy Hughes, the woman who oversaw billions in business aid at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Any of them could catch fire before August 2026.Republicans, for their part, are hardly sitting out. Congressman Tom Tiffany isn’t shy about his ties to Donald Trump; he pitches himself as a fighter for the state’s forgotten corners. Washington County’s Josh Schoemann represents a newer face, but both men hope to ride a wave of Republican gains. Either could pose a formidable challenge, especially with swing voters up for grabs.The broader stakes are hard to ignore. Party operatives look beyond the governor’s mansion to the Legislature, where newly competitive maps have both sides smelling opportunity. Two congressional seats hang in the balance, and flipping either could tip the scales in Washington.History hangs heavy over this contest. The last time Wisconsin had an open governor’s race, Scott Walker’s two terms upended state politics. Tony Evers snatched the job away in 2018, but only by a whisker—and repeated that feat in 2022. If you’re counting votes here, every few hundred matter.So as campaign signs crop up between cornfields and college dorms, everyone’s watching: Can Barnes build the kind of coalition needed to hold together a state always on the edge? Or will a fresh face, overlooked in the early jostling, seize this rare moment? From rural taverns to city buses, the future of Wisconsin is once again anyone’s guess.