Mandela Barnes quits Wisconsin governor primary 12 days before vote
What's new: The exit followed a poll showing Francesca Hong ahead as nearly 128,000 absentee ballots had already been returned.
Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped out of the Democratic primary for governor on Thursday, jolting the race less than two weeks before the Aug. 11 election. Barnes posted a video on Facebook a day after a Marquette Law School poll showed Francesca Hong leading the Democratic field, with about one-third of voters still undecided. Barnes became the third Democrat to leave the race after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her bid amid a campaign finance scandal and Missy Hughes withdrew in June. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley reentered the race after Rodriguez exited and has Gov. Tony Evers' endorsement. The winner is expected to face U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in November.