Overview
- Former lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes suspended his campaign on Thursday, saying it was clear who the nominee would be and urging Democrats to unite to defeat Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany.
- A Marquette Law School poll released this week showed state Rep. Francesca Hong leading the Democratic field with about 38 percent support while Barnes trailed in the mid-teens and several other candidates lagged.
- A Dane County judge ruled that absentee ballots already submitted cannot be voided or recast, and more than 117,000 absentee ballots had been returned before Barnes withdrew, leaving many votes for withdrawn candidates locked in.
- The narrowed Democratic field now centers on Hong, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Joel Brennan and Kelda Roys, with Crowley having re-entered after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out and Gov. Tony Evers endorsing Crowley.
- The primary winner is expected to face Rep. Tom Tiffany in November, and Barnes’s exit increases immediate questions about electability, how late withdrawals affect turnout, and whether Democrats can quickly transfer support to a single nominee.