Gloves Are Off in Democratic Primary for Governor

Sara Rodriguez and Mandela Barnes.

The story was broken by Drake Bentley, who lists himself as a “political, sports and community reporter for the Milwaukee Courier and WNOV 860 The Voice.”

Bentley reported that Sara Rodriguez, the current lieutenant governor and candidate for governor, “took three donations from the corporate PAC of WEC Energy, the parent company of We Energies, totaling $13,800 between 2020 and 2023.”

“In 2021, she was one of just four Democrats who voted with every single Republican on … a bill to repeal the personal property tax,” the story noted. Gov. Tony Evers vetoed it, warning it could exempt utility personal property from ad valorem taxes and cost Wisconsin “tens of millions in general fund tax revenue, if not more.”

Bentley is an interesting reporter who worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for five years before taking his current job. Was he tipped off by the campaign of presumed front-runner Mandela Barnes?

The story reported that nearly all the money — $12,800 — was given in 2022 and that Rodriguez said she was then running for lieutenant governor and “was directed by the Evers campaign to accept the donation,” but then added that “Mandela Barnes refused those contributions as Evers’ running mate.” Barnes was Rodriguez’s predecessor as lieutenant governor and ran with Evers in 2018. The contrast between the two on We Energies donations has led some to suggest the Barnes campaign shopped the story.

Moreover, Barnes posted a comment on X linking to the story and declaring that “Unlike my opponents, I’ve never been bought by the utilities that are jacking up rates. I don’t take their money and I don’t vote for their tax loopholes.”

This gave an opening for the Journal Sentinel to look like it had an original story, with the headline “Barnes takes aim at Rodriguez for accepting utility PAC donations.” The story also quoted from the Rodriguez campaign defending her (“Campaign contributions have never determined how Lt. Governor Rodriguez has voted.”) and attacking Barnes: “Mandela Barnes walked away from the Evers administration to run for Senate and lose to Ron Johnson. Lt. Governor Rodriguez stepped up to join the Democratic ticket with Governor Evers and win. Now, Barnes is taking the low road and making a false political attack that Governor Evers and Lt. Governor Rodriguez were bought off.”

Next the JS did a story reporting that Barnes “didn’t write” a climate change report he claimed to have “authored” while serving as lieutenant governor. Was this story handed to reporter Molly Beck by the Rodriguez campaign as payback against Barnes? “Not at all,” said Kimberly Kane, spokesperson for Rodriguez, in answer to a question from Urban Milwaukee.

Beck’s story offers no explanation as to why Barnes’ comment about authoring the climate change report — posted on X on April 23 — didn’t get covered until two months later by the newspaper. Which has led Democratic insiders to assume this was opposition research leaked by one of Barnes’ opponents.

I’m not certain how much either story will hurt the two candidates. It’s unlikely Rodriguez would have accepted the $12,800 from a utility without the Evers campaign’s blessing. And while Barnes didn’t author the climate change report, he was heavily involved in the issue: he led the governor’s climate change task force, which over a 10-month period created a 120-page report with 55 recommendations.

But the dustup between the two candidates tells us several things: (1) the gloves are now off in the primary campaign that had so far lacked any drama; (2) Barnes is worried enough about Rodriguez rising in an internal poll she released showing her at 15% versus 26% for Barnes that they’ve begun to go after her; and (3) we’re likely to see more attacks.

As a legislator, Rodriguez represented a district that leaned Republican. That could help her in the general election — and has been cited by her supporters as a strength. But it also means she may have taken votes that could hurt her in a primary campaign that seems to be leaning pretty far left.

Meanwhile, the Barnes campaign has to be careful. A sustained shootout with Rodriguez could work to the favor of other candidates. That includes the surprising campaign of Francesca Hong, whom insiders have assumed had a ceiling, but was up to 22% in that internal poll.

Veteran Democrats will remember the shocking victory of a dark horse candidate for U.S. Senate in 1992: Russ Feingold trounced the onetime favorites, Congressman Jim Moody, and big-spending businessman Joe Checota, who engaged in warring attack ads against each other. Feingold, meanwhile, stayed above the fray and ran humorous ads that won the hearts of Democratic voters. He won nearly 70% of the primary vote and used that surprising momentum to defeat incumbent Republican Bob Kasten.