Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes announced on Tuesday that he will join the race for governor. Barnes, 39, unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, losing a tight contest to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). “This moment demands bold leadership for Wisconsin. That’s why I’m running for Governor. Wisconsin, let’s get to work,” Barnes wrote on X. “Seems like the harder you work, the more Washington looks the other way: lower taxes for billionaires, higher prices for working people. Under Trump, the name of the game has been distraction and chaos to avoid accountability,” Barnes said in his campaign announcement video. “It isn’t about left or right, it isn’t about who can yell the loudest. It’s about whether people can afford to live in the state they call home,” he continued. Check it out: This moment demands bold leadership for Wisconsin. That's why I'm running for Governor. Wisconsin, let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/HIwhqz5MB5 — Mandela Barnes (@TheOtherMandela) December 2, 2025 NBC News has more: Barnes served as Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023, becoming the first Black person to hold that office in the state. He previously served two terms in the state Assembly, representing a Milwaukee-area district. After narrowly losing to Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., three years ago, Barnes has remained politically active in the state through his political action committee, which aims to boost Democratic candidates across the country who are, according to the group’s website, “young,” “candidates of color,” LGBTQ+” and “working class.” Barnes’ entrance, which had been widely expected, further expands an already broad field of candidates in both parties running to succeed 74-year-old Gov. Tony Evers, who announced in July that he wouldn’t run for a third term. On the Democratic side, the list includes Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018, state Rep. Francesca Hong, who identifies as a democratic socialist, and Missy Hughes, the former CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. “In case you forgot why Mandela Barnes is WRONG for Wisconsin, just listen to his own words,” said Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), a Republican gubernatorial candidate. Footage below: In case you forgot why Mandela Barnes is WRONG for Wisconsin, just listen to his own words. -Embraces socialism-Wants to hike your energy bills-Thinks America’s founding was awful-Hands out benefits to illegal aliens-Wants violent criminals released pic.twitter.com/ZoL3MPO4xD — Tom Tiffany (@TomTiffanyWI) December 2, 2025 The Associated Press shared further: Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a staunch Trump supporter, is the highest profile GOP candidate. He faces a challenge from Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann. Tiffany called Barnes a “dangerous far-left extremist” and said voters “rejected him in 2022, and they will do it again in 2026.” He made a series of posts on the social platform X that he said showed why Barnes’ agenda was wrong for the state. Tiffany noted Barnes’ past support for reduced funding for police, allowing immigrants who are not citizens to get driver’s licenses and pay in-state college tuition, and implementing policies that recognize climate change. Barnes told AP that Tiffany has been nothing but a “rubber stamp” for Trump. “He’s put politics before the people he represents,” Barnes said. ”He has sat idly by as things have become more difficult. And people are tired of political games. They’re tired of the nonsense. They don’t want somebody who’s just going to suck up to the president.” It will be Wisconsin’s highest-profile race next year, as Democrats angle to take control of the state Legislature thanks to redrawn election maps that are friendlier to the party.