Obama coming to Wisconsin to stump for Barnes, Evers

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former President Barack Obama, who twice won Wisconsin by large margins, is coming to the battleground state in the final days of the campaign to give a boost to the Democratic governor and challenger to Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.

Obama plans to hold an early vote event on Oct. 29 in Milwaukee, the state’s largest city and home to the largest group of African American voters. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is taking on Johnson and would be the first Black senator from Wisconsin should he win.

Barnes, who is from Milwaukee, has been trying to energize Black voters in a race that a Marquette University Law School poll this week showed Johnson with an apparent lead.

Gov. Tony Evers is challenged by Tim Michels, a construction company co-owner who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Marquette polls for months have shown that race to be about even.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, who represents Milwaukee, are also slated to appear along with other Democratic candidates for office, including Attorney General Josh Kaul.

Obama won Wisconsin in 2008 by 14 points and by 7 points in 2012. Those wide margins in presidential races are unusual in the state that Trump won by less than a point in 2016 but lost to President Joe Biden by less than a point in 2020.