Frederica Freyberg:
Tonight we continue our interviews with candidates running in the primary election for governor. We brought you interviews with the two Republicans in the race earlier this month. There are seven Democrats lining up. We spoke with three of them last week. Up next, senior political reporter Zac Schultz brings us introductory interviews with the remaining four Democrats, starting with former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.

Zac Schultz:
Mandela Barnes, thanks for coming in.

Mandela Barnes:
For sure. Thank you so much for having me.

Zac Schultz:
So for voters who may not be as familiar with you, introduce yourself and say why are you running for governor?

Mandela Barnes:
Absolutely. I’m Mandela Barnes, former lieutenant governor, former state rep running for governor because we found ourselves in a critical moment here in the state of Wisconsin, all across the country but Wisconsin has certainly been impacted. We see rising costs, which is no different from other states. But when people are having such a hard time to pay for groceries, to live in their homes, to be able to afford their utilities or even healthcare, we need leadership that’s going to reject the status quo and actually get to work to solving our problems. And this is more than just about bold leadership to take on Donald Trump. We need bold leadership that’s going to provide solutions. And I’m running because we need to provide real relief. In my time in the legislature, my time as lieutenant governor has been focused on making life better for people across Wisconsin. It has been focused on improving quality of life. And that’s why I’m ready to get to work to lower costs on the very first day.

Zac Schultz:
Is there a single issue that’s driven you in your career, or maybe a lane within the party that helps define who you are?

Mandela Barnes:
Well, there are a number of issues. You know, I honestly think about challenges, situations, circumstances that I’ve dealt with, you know, growing up. You know, unfortunately, I’ve lost friends to gun violence. And that was one of the biggest things that actually made me think about public service. Who was going to step up? Who was going to answer the call? And we have these conversations about crime, we have these conversations about violence in general, like, it speaks to me personally.

Zac Schultz:
How much money are you going to need to raise in order to win this primary and then the election?

Mandela Barnes:
An obscene amount of money, which is the worst part about politics. There’s far too much money involved. I think about, you know, the amount of spending that’s not just from candidates but also from super PACs. And it feels as if everyday people don’t have a voice in politics. I’m proud of, you know, my previous campaigns where we were grassroots funded. We didn’t take corporate PAC money, not a dime of corporate PAC money. And I look at this race and that’s the same case. We’re not taking corporate PAC money, but it is going to take about $50 million on the candidate side for me to raise. And it shouldn’t be that way. But if we don’t come out successful, we’ll never be able to get big money out of politics.

Zac Schultz:
You’re no stranger to competitive primaries, so what’s the difference for you between negative campaigning against a member of your party versus just defining differences between candidates?

Mandela Barnes:
Well, I have zero interest in negative campaigning against any of my opponents. My focus, as I mentioned, has been and will continue to be on November. And I say this; I have a lot of friends in the race. I respect everybody in the race. I think everybody brings something to the race, but I’m running based off of my experience. My time in the legislature, my time as lieutenant governor is unmatched in this primary. I’ve been to every single county my first, my first year as lieutenant governor, continue to make my rounds across the state every year after. Even out of office, I’ve had the great fortune and opportunity to be able to travel the great state of Wisconsin just meeting with people just, you know, existing, living, getting to enjoy the rich, natural beauty. You could spend money at our small businesses and just spend time in communities. And with that being the case, I think about the work that I have put in. And, you know, some folks may say, “Oh, Mandela’s got the name recognition.” Well, I got the name recognition because I’ve shown up.

Zac Schultz:
When voters are looking at this broad field of candidates, do you think they should look for who connects best with them on the issues, or should they be thinking about electability?

Mandela Barnes:
Well I think people should be looking about or looking at who is going to fight for them. Who is going to show up. Who’s not going to take no for an answer. Who’s going to be bold, and who is going to drastically work to improve quality of life regardless of where you live and regardless of who you vote for.

Zac Schultz:
So most of the candidates have connections to either Milwaukee or Madison. What is the — what is your outreach plan for the rest of the state for rural Wisconsin?

Mandela Barnes:
Well, I can tell you, there’s not a person in this race who has the experience in all parts of Wisconsin that I have. In ’22, I won the Wisconsin Farmers Union’s Friend of the Family Farmer Award because of my dedication to rural Wisconsin. I ran into a guy leaving that conference a few years ago and said that he never thought that he’d be voting for a guy from Milwaukee, based on his rural policy. And also understanding that rural Wisconsin isn’t just farms, it is small businesses that make up rural Wisconsin. It’s also the outdoor activities that bring tourism to rural Wisconsin.

Zac Schultz:
What do you think the impact of Donald Trump will be on this election?

Mandela Barnes:
Well, people are dissatisfied. People were lied to. People have been lied to. He lied the first time around. But people are feeling those lies a whole lot more. He called affordability a hoax. The person who is struggling to pay their utility bills right now, I don’t think that’s a hoax. People who are struggling to stay in their homes, they don’t think that’s a hoax. People who are going to see their health care premiums rise; we’re going to see their health care premiums balloon. It’s not a hoax to them. And that’s why this campaign isn’t just about me running for governor, me winning the race for governor. This is about ensuring that we have a majority in the state Assembly and the state Senate to actually do right by the people, because the will of the people should be the law of the land, and we’re going to ensure that it is.

Zac Schultz:
Mandela Barnes, thanks for coming in.

Mandela Barnes:
For sure. Thank you so much.