Barnes posts $1.7M first quarter number in Wisconsin Senate race

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D) announced on Tuesday he raised $1.7 million for his Senate campaign during the first quarter of 2022. 

According to his campaign, the latest haul marks the most raised in a quarter by any candidate in the race. 

Barnes is part of a crowded Democratic primary field hoping to take on incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson (R) in November. 

The Cook Political Report rates the state’s Senate race as a “toss-up.” 

Barnes’s campaign said the total was made up of more than 28,000 total donors and nearly 44,000 individual donors. The average donation was under $40, according to the campaign.

The first quarter number surpassed the $1.23 million Barnes raised in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Barnes’s communications director, Maddy McDaniel, said the success was evidence of the lieutenant governor’s momentum in the Senate primary. 

“Mandela Barnes’ unparalleled fundraising momentum continued this quarter with a haul that shows how much excitement there is for this campaign in every corner of the state,” McDaniel said in a statement. 

A Marquette University Law School survey released earlier this month showed Barnes leading the Democratic field of candidates, with 23 percent support, followed by Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry at 13 percent support. Nelson trailed at 5 percent, and Wisconsin state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski came in at 3 percent support.

Notably, 48 percent of respondents gave no preference, leaving room for movement ahead of the state’s Aug. 9 primary.