Mandela Barnes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mandela Barnes
Barnes in 2019
45th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
In office January 7, 2019 – January 3, 2023
Governor	Tony Evers
Preceded by	Rebecca Kleefisch
Succeeded by	Sara Rodriguez
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 11th district
In office January 7, 2013 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Jason Fields
Succeeded by	Jason Fields
Personal details
Born	Jesse Mandela Barnes (1986-12-01) December 1, 1986 (age 38) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Working Families
Education	Alabama A&M University (BA)
Signature

J. Mandela Barnes (born December 1, 1986) is an American politician. He served as the 45th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he also worked as a state representative for the 11th district from 2013 to 2017. Barnes made history as the first African American to become Wisconsin's lieutenant governor.

In 2022, Barnes was the Democratic candidate for the 2022 United States Senate election in Wisconsin. He ran against the current Republican Senator Ron Johnson but did not win the election.

Early Life and Education

Mandela Barnes was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 1, 1986. His mother was a teacher in public schools, and his father worked for the United Auto Workers, a union that helps workers. His middle name, Mandela, honors Nelson Mandela, a famous leader who fought against unfair treatment in South Africa and became its first Black president. Barnes has used his middle name since he was born.

Barnes went to Holy Redeemer Christian Academy and then to public schools in Milwaukee, including John Marshall High School. He later attended Alabama A&M University.

During his time in college, Barnes was involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This organization works to ensure equal rights for all people. He has shared that a speech by Barack Obama in 2004 inspired him to think about a career in public service after college.

Barnes completed his B.A. degree in communications media in May 2020. He had a small amount of coursework to finish from his earlier studies in 2008, which he completed to earn his degree.

Political Career

Before becoming an elected official, Barnes worked on different political campaigns. He also worked in the office of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Later, he became an organizer for M.I.C.A.H., a group in Milwaukee that brings different faiths together to work for social justice, which means fairness for everyone in society. He also worked for a national group called State Innovation Exchange, which focuses on progressive public policies.

Serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly (2013–2017)

Barnes in 2013

In April 2012, Barnes announced he would run for the Wisconsin's 11th Assembly district. This area covers parts of Milwaukee and Wauwatosa. He challenged the person already holding the seat, Jason Fields, in the primary election for the Democratic Party. A primary election helps a political party choose its best candidate.

Barnes talked about Fields's support for school voucher programs and his opposition to limiting interest rates on "payday loans." Payday loans are small, short-term loans that often have very high interest rates.

Barnes won the primary election in August 2012. He received 2,596 votes, while Fields got 1,206. In the November general election, Barnes ran without any opponents and won with 16,403 votes.

As a state legislator in 2013, Barnes supported a bill that would have banned certain types of weapons, like assault weapons and magazines that hold many bullets. He was reelected in 2014 without anyone running against him in either the primary or general election.

In 2016, Barnes also supported a bill to change the cash bail system. This system requires people accused of crimes to pay money to be released from jail before their trial. His bill would have made it harder for judges to keep people in jail based on the seriousness of their charges. It would have focused more on whether a person might run away or be a danger to others. Barnes has continued to support changing the cash bail system.

During his time in the Assembly, Barnes served on committees that dealt with corrections, education, jobs, and small businesses. He also led the Black and Latino Caucus in the legislature and took part in international trips to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Running for State Senate in 2016

On April 11, 2016, Barnes announced he would leave the Assembly to run for the State Senate. He challenged Lena Taylor, who was the current Democratic Senator for Wisconsin's 4th State Senate district. It is not common for a Democratic candidate to challenge another Democrat who already holds the seat.

Barnes lost to Taylor in the August 9 election. She received 11,454 votes, and he received 7,433 votes.

Serving as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (2019–2023)

2018 Campaign

Barnes (at rear) with other elected officials at a March For Our Lives event

In January 2018, Barnes announced he would run for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin in the 2018 election. In June 2018, he won a "straw poll" held by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, getting most of the votes. A straw poll is an unofficial vote to see who people prefer. During the primary election, his name was accidentally left out of some newspaper notices, and his picture was mistakenly used in a news report about a motorcycle crash.

On August 14, 2018, Barnes won the Democratic primary election by a large margin. He then became the "running mate" for Tony Evers, who was the Democratic candidate for governor. A running mate is a candidate who runs with another candidate on the same ticket. Evers and Barnes won the November 2018 election, defeating the current Republican Governor Scott Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. Barnes became Wisconsin's first African American lieutenant governor and was also the youngest lieutenant governor in the nation at that time.

Time in Office

Barnes being sworn in as Lieutenant Governor, 2019

In October 2019, Barnes was chosen to lead the governor's special group focused on addressing climate change. In December 2020, this group released a report with 55 ideas to help Wisconsin deal with climate change. Barnes also helped organize the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, serving as a vice chair.

During his time as lieutenant governor, Barnes used more security protection than the previous lieutenant governor. This was approved by Governor Evers's office.

In 2019, Barnes gave a speech for the Working Families Party in response to the 2019 State of the Union Address, which is a speech given by the U.S. President.

After a serious incident in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020, Barnes spoke out. He said that the actions taken by officers were not accidental and felt like a targeted act. In January 2021, he also criticized the decision not to charge the officers involved.

Running for U.S. Senate in 2022

On July 20, 2021, Barnes announced he would run for the United States Senate in the 2022 election. He aimed to win the seat held by Ron Johnson. Barnes was one of many candidates seeking the Democratic nomination. By July 29, 2022, most of his main competitors had stopped their campaigns and supported him instead. This made him the likely Democratic candidate.

Barnes and Johnson had two debates before the general election.

In the general election, Senator Johnson won against Barnes by a small number of votes. If Barnes had won, he would have been the first Black person to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate. After his loss, some people involved in his campaign thought that his lack of experience compared to his opponent, concerns about his views on policing and crime, and the fact that his opponent spent more money on the campaign contributed to the outcome.

After Being Lieutenant Governor

In February 2023, Barnes started a group called The Long Run PAC. A PAC is a group that raises money to help political campaigns. This PAC aims to support "pro-democracy" Democratic candidates who are young, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, or come from working-class backgrounds.

Political Views

Barnes describes himself as a progressive. This means he supports social and political changes that aim to improve society. He voted for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 Wisconsin presidential primary elections.

Gun Control

Barnes has stated that if elected to the Senate, he would "prioritize preventing gun violence." He wants to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. In May 2022, he said, "We can save lives or we can kowtow to the gun lobby," meaning he believes lawmakers should choose to protect people over pleasing groups that oppose gun control. He supports "red-flag laws," which allow temporary removal of guns from people who might be a danger to themselves or others. He also supports background checks for all gun sales and bans on privately made firearms, assault weapons, and magazines that hold many bullets. He would vote to get rid of a law that protects gun makers and sellers from being held responsible if someone uses a gun to commit a crime.

Healthcare

Barnes supports a healthcare system called "Medicare for All," which would provide health insurance for everyone through the government. He also supports smaller steps to improve healthcare, like lowering the age at which people can join Medicare from 65. In September 2021, while running for Senate, Barnes shared that he had used a Medicaid-based program called BadgerCare in 2018. He said that this experience showed him how important such programs are for working people.

Election Results

Wisconsin Assembly (2012, 2014)

Wisconsin Senate (2016)

Lieutenant Governor (2018)

U.S. Senate (2022)

See Also

• List of lieutenant governors of Wisconsin
• List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States
• List of African-American United States Senate candidates

In Spanish: Mandela Barnes para niños