Godlewski suspends U.S. Senate bid, becomes 3rd Democrat to exit the race this week
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- State Treasurer Sarah Godlewksi is suspending her bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, marking the third candidate to exit the race this week and back frontrunner Mandela Barnes.
Godlewski’s dropping out of the race comes days her two of her former opponents Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry exited the race. Earlier this week, Godlewski said she had plans to stay in the race but changed her mind within the last 24 hours.
"For me, it was pretty immediate," Godlewski said. "Let's do this and let's do it now because everyday matters when the elections are so close here in Wisconsin."
Godlewski was joined by Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes at a daycare center in Fitchburg to make her announcement. She was trailing Barnes by double-digits in the latest Marquette Law School Poll.
"It has been an honor of a lifetime severing as state treasurer and running for U.S. Senate," she said. "I know right now what we have to do is get behind Mandela Barnes to defeat Ron Johnson and that's exactly what we are going to do."
It caps off quite a week of stunning developments in the U.S. Senate race as a once crowded field essentially narrows down to one. Barnes secured endorsements from his former primary opponents which all but ensures he will win the August 9th primary and advance to face off against Johnson this fall.
On Friday, Johnson weighed in on his likely opponent for the first time.
Without naming Barnes directly, Johnson called him "radical"
"The power brokers of the Democrat party have now cleared the field for their most radical left candidate. Socialist policies have produced this mess, & a radical left Senator from Wisconsin is not the solution," Johnson tweeted.
Showing their lack of respect for voters and the democratic process, the power brokers of the Democrat party have now cleared the field for their most radical left candidate. Socialist policies have produced this mess, & a radical left Senator from Wisconsin is not the solution. https://t.co/bQoLFBc6ek
— Ron Johnson (@RonJohnsonWI) July 29, 2022