Mandela Barnes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mandela Barnes
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Barnes in 2019
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| 45th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 7, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Governor | Tony Evers |
| Preceded by | Rebecca Kleefisch |
| Succeeded by | Sara Rodriguez |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 11th district |
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| In office January 7, 2013 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Jason Fields |
| Succeeded by | Jason Fields |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jesse Mandela Barnes
December 1, 1986 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Alabama A&M University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Mandela Barnes was born on December 1, 1986. He is an American politician who served as the 45th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin from 2019 to 2023. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming lieutenant governor, he was a state representative for the 11th district from 2013 to 2017. Barnes made history as the first African American to serve as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor.
In 2022, Barnes was the Democratic candidate for the 2022 United States Senate election in Wisconsin. He ran against the Republican Senator Ron Johnson but did not win the election.
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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 running for office, 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 works for social justice. He also served as a deputy director for State Innovation Exchange, a group focused on progressive public policy.
Serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly (2013–2017)
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.
Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (2019–2023)
2018 Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
In January 2018, Barnes announced he was running for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. He won a key vote among Democrats in June 2018. During the primary election, his name was accidentally left out of some newspaper notices.
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 running for governor. Evers and Barnes won the November 2018 election, defeating the Republican leaders Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch. Barnes became Wisconsin's first African American lieutenant governor. He was also the youngest lieutenant governor in the nation at that time.
Time in Office
In October 2019, Barnes was chosen to lead the governor's task force on climate change. In December 2020, this group released a report with 55 ideas to help address climate change in Wisconsin. Barnes also helped organize the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee.
During his time as lieutenant governor, Barnes faced some questions about the amount of security protection he used. His office stated that the additional security was approved by Governor Evers's office.
In 2019, Barnes gave a speech responding to the State of the Union address for the Working Families Party.
On August 24, 2020, after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Barnes spoke about the event. He later criticized the decision not to charge the officers involved.
2022 U.S. Senate Campaign
On July 20, 2021, Barnes announced he would run for the United States Senate in the 2022 election. He was seeking to win the seat held by Ron Johnson. Many of his main competitors for the Democratic nomination later dropped out and supported him.
Barnes and Johnson had two debates in October 2022. In the general election, 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 Being Lieutenant Governor
In February 2023, Barnes started a group called The Long Run PAC. This group aims to support political campaigns for "pro-democracy" Democratic candidates. These candidates are often young, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, or 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.
Electoral History Summary
Mandela Barnes has run in several elections:
- 2012 Wisconsin State Assembly: He won the Democratic primary and then the general election to become a state representative.
- 2014 Wisconsin State Assembly: He was reelected without facing any challengers.
- 2016 Wisconsin State Senate: He ran in the Democratic primary but lost to the incumbent, Lena Taylor.
- 2018 Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin: He won the Democratic primary and then, as Tony Evers's running mate, they won the general election, making him Lieutenant Governor.
- 2022 U.S. Senate: He won the Democratic primary but lost the general election to Ron Johnson.
See also
In Spanish: Mandela Barnes para niños
- 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
