Mandela Barnes says this advice from Barack Obama is guiding his historic campaign for Wisconsin governor

After his very close 2022 U.S. Senate defeat, the former Wisconsin lieutenant governor returned to his roots of organizing, setting up what he hopes is a path to a historic victory this November.

Mandela Barnes knows a thing or two about running a statewide election. The Wisconsin Democrat, running to be the state’s first Black governor in this year’s gubernatorial election, previously served as lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023.

“It was the most incredible learning opportunity you could have as I seek the office of Governor, knowing that I am ready to go on day one and having an agenda set,” said Barnes during an interview with theGrio.

The 39-year-old Milwaukee native describes his “day one agenda” as focusing on increasing health care access, “putting more money in people’s pockets,” and closing “tax loopholes that allow the wealthy to get away without paying their fair share.”

Mandela Barnes is currently making the case to Wisconsin Democratic voters in a crowded primary race. The last time Barnes, a former state Assemblyman, was on the ballot in the Badger State was in 2022 as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. He lost the general election to incumbent Republican Senator Ron Johnson by just 1%.

Reflecting on that very close race, Barnes said there are many “lessons learned” as he campaigns this time around. He even credits America’s first Black president, Barack Obama, for some sage advice that he is using as a guide on his path to the governorship.

“After my race for Senate…I got a call from Barack Obama. He talked about the race that he lost for Congress, [and] about the work that he put in afterwards, and that’s what I’ve been up to these past few years,” Barnes told theGrio.

After the 2022 election, the Democrat returned to his “roots” of organizing, becoming president of Power to Polls Wisconsin. Noticing a decline in voter participation, particularly among Black voters—a trend since Obama left office in 2012—Barnes said, “It was important to ensure that we reverse that trend, because at the rate we were going, there would never be another Democrat serving as president.”

Barnes said Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest and most diverse city, became a major focus, engaging voters year-round.

“We had conversations, and most importantly, we listened, and we saw a steady increase in voter participation in the two Supreme Court elections, and then ultimately in 2024. Where comparable cities, major cities, and swing states saw a decline in voter participation, Milwaukee had an increase in voter participation,” he told theGrio.

Barnes noted that Milwaukee had the highest voter turnout of the 50 largest U.S. cities. He credited that primarily to the majority-Black wards in Milwaukee that he and organizers focused on, asserting, “Milwaukee also had the least significant swing towards Donald Trump.”

The gubernatorial hopeful is well aware that, if elected, he will be leading a crucial swing state under the presidency of Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with Democratic governors over issues like funding, immigration enforcement, and voting rights. He told theGrio, “We’re going to lead with courage, and we’re going to lead with conviction.”

The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies have reeled in states like Minnesota and Illinois, even resulting in two fatal ICE-involved shootings of U.S. citizens.

Barnes said this moment of “chaos” calls for leaders to stand up, including “employing every single legal mechanism at [their] disposal.” He explained, “That means being able to bring justice to law enforcement or ICE agents who act out of the confines of the law. It means having a set of standards. It means being able to bring suit to the Department of Justice, the federal government itself.”

Trump’s first term at White House overlapped with Barnes’s first two years as Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor. He told theGrio, “I am the only candidate in this race that has that unique perspective of having to battle it out with the Trump administration while trying to deliver the resources necessary for the state to rise and many times, unfortunately, survive, if you want to talk about the [Covid-19] pandemic response.”

He continued, “It is important to not just have the courage and conviction to stand up to fight against Donald Trump when he is doing harm to the people of Wisconsin, but also leading with a vision that is not just counter to the president’s approach, but a vision to actually be able to offer opportunity where it seems like there is very little coming from the federal government.”

Barnes credited his leadership, along with that of then-Gov. Tony Evers for Wisconsin having “one of the most successful rebounds” during the pandemic. He remains “proud” of that work, acknowledging that the state is facing a new affordability crisis.

“I am ready to take on that challenge. I’ve been able to do it before, and I’m going to do it again,” he vowed.

If victorious in the Aug. 11 primary and Nov. 3 general election, Barnes would join a shortlist of African Americans (only three) to be elected governor. He would also become Wisconsin’s first Black governor.

Recalling his history-making moment as the state’s first Black lieutenant governor, Barnes said, “This is not about making history. It’s about making a difference.”

He added, “It’s about bringing a unique perspective to the highest office in the state, using that perspective to benefit everybody in Wisconsin, to look at our challenges, not from the lens that has been used to divide communities, but the lens that should be used to unite people in a way like never before.”