The Facts
Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry withdrew Wed. from the Democratic primary race for one of Wisconsin's Senate seats, despite spending more than $12M on his campaign.
Lasry's departure from the race leaves Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes as the favorite to win the nomination in the Aug. 9 primary and advance to face incumbent GOP Sen. Ron Johnson in the general election this November.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Barnes is a trailblazer and rising star in the party, and he's the perfect nominee to topple Johnson. Not only has he been endorsed by numerous figures from all wings of the party, but his working-class credentials stand in stark contrast to Johnson, one of the country's richest senators who recently complained about not making more money while in office.
Republican narrative
By anointing Barnes as the nominee, the Democrats are tying themselves to a far-left candidate with soft-on-crime policy positions and ties to the "defund the police" faction of the party, hardly a way to beat an incumbent in a somewhat moderate state.
