Not long after former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped out of the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor on Thursday, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley made a direct social media plea to Barnes’ supporters to support him.
“There’s a place for you in what we’re building,” Crowley wrote.
But as Barnes suspended his campaign in a Facebook video, he said it’s clear who the Democratic Party nominee is going to be.
That was a reference to state Rep. Francesca Hong, a self-described democratic socialist who widened her lead over Barnes, Crowley and other candidates in the latest Marquette Law School poll of Wisconsin Democratic primary voters, released Wednesday.
Hong also posted a message to Barnes’ supporters on social media, writing, “To everyone who supported Mandela because you believe working people deserve a government that fights for them, I welcome you to our movement.”
In the Marquette poll, Hong led with 38%, followed by Barnes with 16% and Crowley — who reentered the race after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out — at 7%. Crowley has been endorsed by Gov. Tony Evers.
About one-third of primary voters remained undecided with less than two weeks to go before the Aug. 11 election.
The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is the clear front-runner in the Republican primary.
Tiffany has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
