For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next 50, an organization dedicated to identifying and supporting the next generation of Democratic leaders, today announced its endorsement of Mandela Barnes in his campaign for Governor of Wisconsin. The organization previously backed Barnes during his 2022 U.S. Senate campaign.

“The Next 50 doesn’t just endorse a candidate once and move on — we stick with the leaders we believe in for the long haul,” said Mari Manoogian, Executive Director of The Next 50. “We’ve been proud to stand with Mandela throughout his career in public service, and we’re committed to helping him become Wisconsin’s next governor because we know he will bring down costs for working families, take on Trump’s chaos, and deliver the kind of results that actually make a difference in people’s lives.”

“Wisconsinites are working harder than ever and still can’t get ahead because corruption and chaos in Washington continues to send prices through the roof. I’m running for Governor to reject that broken Washington Way and get things done the Wisconsin Way. That means taxing the rich, freezing the rates, and keeping Wisconsin safe,” said Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes. “Together, along with support from organizations like The Next 50, we’re going to end the rigged system in Wisconsin that is leaving middle class families behind.”  

Mandela Barnes is running to be Governor of Wisconsin with a pledge to expand BadgerCare on Day One, provide a public health care option, freeze utility rates, and pass universal childcare. Born and raised in Milwaukee in a proud union family, he was elected at the age of 25 to serve as a State Representative. In 2018, he ran alongside Governor Tony Evers to become Wisconsin’s first Black Lieutenant Governor, the youngest in the country at the time and only the second Black official elected statewide. After leaving office, he served as President of Power to the Polls, a statewide organizing program focused on improving voter turnout among voters of color. He also founded Forward Together Wisconsin, a nonprofit that helped low-and-middle income families take advantage of tax credits to lower their energy bills with home efficiency upgrades. Now, he is running for Governor at a critical moment for our state with a commitment to rejecting the Washington Way and getting things done the Wisconsin Way to move our state forward.

The endorsement adds Barnes to The Next 50’s growing roster of endorsed candidates in competitive races across the country, part of the organization’s broader mission to support next-generation leaders throughout their careers.