Empower Wisconsin | Dec. 27, 2022
MADISON — So the “red wave” didn’t happen. Not in Wisconsin, anyway. Incompetent liberal Tony Evers won a second term as governor. The left’s lawyer, Attorney General Josh Kaul won, too.
But conservatives can take some consolation in the fact that Evers’ far left lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, will not only not be serving as Wisconsin’s junior U.S. senator, he’ll be out of politics altogether. At least for now. Barnes gambled big and lost, running against two-term U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Oshkosh). Now, he’s out as lieutenant governor, too. Not that he did much of any consequence — that he can remember.
Barnes was cocky. So were Badger State and national Democrats. They thought Johnson would be an any easy target. The left and the mainstream media had hit the conservative senator with everything they had. The problem was, Barnes was a bad candidate.
Honest Democrats would admit as much. Barnes, like his boss Evers, vilified law enforcement officers in the name of radical politics as the average voter was growing very tired of cop bashing. He courted the defund the police movement and then tried to hide from his radical stance. The liberal seemed to forget about his liberal use of social media over the years. He repeatedly was caught in his own lies.
His legislative record, which includes pitching a bill that would eliminate cash bail for violent offenders, didn’t age well in the wake of the Waukesha Christmas parade massacre. And this scary socialist has preached thwarting American capitalism while praising the world’s tyrants. There’s more. Much more. But you get the point.
Democrats, of course, only have themselves to blame for Barnes’ loss. His primary rivals bailed out of the race — cleared the field for him — a week before the August contest. Johnson and his campaign, meanwhile, had a field day, picking from a trove of Barnes’ stupid tweets and other out of touch public statements.
Now, Mandela Barnes has mere days left in political power, as inconsequential as that power may be.
But chances are very good Barnes will be back, running for something. After all, politics is one of the few jobs he’s had. And the left has found him a useable tool.
As he departs, the soon-to-be former lieutenant governor and also-ran Senate candidate is Empower Wisconsin’s Tool of the Year.
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