Alex Lasry drops out of Wisconsin Democratic Senate primary, clearing way for Mandela Barnes
Lasry's exit follows that of Tom Nelson, who suspended his Wisconsin Senate campaign on Monday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry announced Wednesday that he had made the decision to end his Senate bid in Wisconsin and endorse Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.
The move — which comes one day after early, in-person voting kicked off in the Badger State — is seen as a surprise as recent polling showed Lasry in a competitive race with Barnes.
"The stakes are just too high to wait," Lasry wrote in a tweet. "The single best thing we can do for Wisconsin – and for America – is to beat Ron Johnson, and that must start now. Today, I am ending my campaign and endorsing my friend [Mandela Barnes] to be the next great Senator from the State of Wisconsin."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lasry's exit comes after another major contender in the Democratic primary race, Outagamie County executive Tom Nelson, suspended his campaign on Monday and tossed his support behind Barnes.
WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE TOM NELSON QUITS RACE
Alex Lasry participates in a televised Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senate debate, Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Even though State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski is still in the race, the exits of Lasry and Nelson now make Barnes the clear favorite to win the Aug. 9 Democratic Senate primary.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee that endorsed Barnes during the first week of his campaign and has raised over $70,000 for him, said Democrats are now "unified" around Barnes' candidacy after Lasry's exit.
"With this move, the Democratic Party is unified around Mandela Barnes as the candidate who will defeat insurrectionist Senator Ron Johnson and be a bold voice for working people in the Senate," Green said. "As the inspiring Democratic nominee against one of the worst senators in America, Mandela Barnes will mobilize one of the strongest grassroots movements in Senate history – which will include massive fundraising and volunteer support to get the job done this November."
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes speaks to the crowd during the 48th Annual Juneteenth Day Festival on June 19, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images for VIBE)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The names of both Lasry and Nelson will still appear on the state's ballots because they have already been printed.
Democrats aim to defeat incumbent Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson this November in the battleground state's general election. Johnson is a prime target for several prominent Democratic groups, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.