More than 117,000 absentee ballots had been returned as of July 29, the day Dane County Circuit Judge David Conway rejected a bid by three Democratic voters to void ballots they had cast for a candidate who left the race. Conway wrote that a voter changing course after a candidate drops out "does not constitute an 'accident or mistake'" under state law. Any votes already cast for Barnes or other candidates that left the race will be counted as cast.
In a video announcement, Barnes said he told his staff the night before and pointed to the shape of the field rather than to his own campaign's standing.
"It's become very clear who our nominee is gonna be," Barnes said, though he did not name a candidate. A Marquette Law School poll released this week put state Rep. Francesca Hong of Madison at 38 percent, well ahead of Barnes and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Hong has described herself as a "proud democratic socialist."
Barnes said his purpose in running had been to beat the likely Republican nominee, Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.).
"We have to do everything to beat Tom Tiffany. This is life or death for Wisconsinites," he said, citing healthcare access, childcare costs and household bills. "I got in this race because we're living in a rigged system.
"While I may be suspending this campaign, I'll never give up my fight for Wisconsin," Barnes said, committing to work against Tiffany until Nov. 3.
Barnes is the second Democrat to leave the race this month. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, seen as a front-runner, withdrew July 17 after discovering a shortfall in her campaign account, saying the issue could "become a cloud over an election Democrats need to win."
Former state economic development director Missy Hughes dropped out in June. Crowley, who had exited and endorsed Rodriguez, reentered on July 18.
The remaining field includes Crowley, Hong, state Sen. Kelda Roys of Madison, and former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan.
Crowley had already made a short statement to Barnes’s supporters in a post on social media after the announcement, stating in a post on social media, “To everyone who backed Mandela: there's a place for you in what we're building. It's going to take all of us to beat Tom Tiffany. Let's get to work.”
Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wis.) is not seeking a third term. Should Democrats hold the governor's office and flip both legislative chambers, it would be the party's first unified control of Wisconsin state government since 2010.