Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, the Democratic candidate running against Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, seemed to compare a conservative Black singer to a slave and said he refuses to “accept” a Black sheriff as his own race.
Previous public statements made by Barnes were resurfaced by the Daily Caller.
RON JOHNSON PUSHES BARNES ON CRIME POSITIONS AS GOP PULLS AHEAD IN WISCONSIN RACE
Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, in particular, drew the ire of Barnes, who refused to acknowledge Clark as the same race as himself.
In 2016, Barnes boasted about being quoted in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article as saying, “I don’t even accept [Clarke] as black.”
In another comment, Barnes criticized musician Tina Campbell, part of the gospel duo Mary Mary, for supporting former President Trump. Barnes shared an article about the artist in which she cited her Christian beliefs as influencing her political support for Trump.
The lieutenant governor said of Campbell, “Guess the shackles are still on her feet after all,” a reference to a hit Mary Mary song called “Shackles (Praise You)”.
Barnes is challenging incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., in a battleground race that has narrowed in recent weeks as Johnson has honed in on Barnes’ “soft-on-crime policies.” Throughout his time within Wisconsin state government, Barnes has signaled support for defunding the police and abolishing ICE.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Barnes campaign for comment.
Fox News’ Sophia Slacik contributed to this report.
