Wisconsin Senate Democrat and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes acknowledged he is “different,” agreeing with opponent Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R-WI) opinion of one of the most radical candidates in the 2022 cycle.
“I actually embrace one of the characterizations in one of the ads that they put out,” Barnes recalled of one of Johnson’s effective ads. “It ends by saying, ‘Mandela Barnes, different.’ I embrace that.”
Barnes then recapped his radical views that he conveyed during the debate. Barnes has supported defunding police departments and allowing felons to retain the right to vote. He also believes police do not prevent crimes.
“Police don’t prevent crimes from happening,” Barnes falsely stated on Real Talk with Henry Sanders. “We don’t live in a surveillance state nor would you want to.”
Barnes believes in abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), permitting driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants, and giving in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants. He has derided small business owners as “selfish” for wanting to serve customers during the pandemic.
Barnes also favors an entirely government-run healthcare system, eliminating the Senate filibuster, packing the Supreme Court, and passing the Green New Deal, which would destroy the American economy to reshape it into a socialist utopia.
Recent polling shows Johnson leading in the polls by 5 points. Just two months ago, Barnes was leading Johnson by a moderate margin. But Barnes’ radical record seems to be working against him.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.