Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, a Democrat jogging versus incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, has consistently advocated for reducing the state's prison populace in 50 percent, reducing dollars bail and other progressive felony justice reforms.

Before moving into general public workplace, Barnes beforehand labored as an organizer for Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope, a Milwaukee-based social justice team, when he teamed up with yet another group, Wisdom, to start a 2012 initiative aimed at reducing Wisconsin’s jail population in 50 %.

The 11x15 campaign sought to reduce the state’s prison populace to 11,000 inmates by 2015, Barnes informed community media at the time.

Barnes later on served two conditions in the Wisconsin Condition Assembly before he was picked out as the working mate to now-Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. 

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes who is working to turn out to be the Democratic nominee for the U.S. senate speaks in the course of a campaign party at The Wicked Hop on August 07, 2022, in Milwaukee. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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All through their campaign in 2018, Evers signed onto Barnes' idea of halving the state’s prison inhabitants. Evers, who at the time was the state educational institutions superintendent, reported he preferred to do that by enabling inmates to be unveiled for superior actions, producing or increasing courtroom diversion programs and treating 17-12 months-aged offenders as juveniles in its place of grown ups, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel claimed at the time.

Evers did not set a time frame on halving the jail inhabitants, but he called it a "purpose" and mentioned he would not launch violent offenders. 

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes speaks to the crowd throughout the 48th Yearly Juneteenth Working day Festival on June 19, 2019, in Milwaukee. (Dylan Buell/Getty Illustrations or photos for VIBE)

Months just before the election in July 2018, Barnes celebrated Evers and other Democratic gubernatorial candidates for supporting his initiative.

"6 several years back when we kicked off the 11x15 marketing campaign to cut the jail inhabitants in half, we could rarely uncover elected leaders or candidates to get onboard," Barnes tweeted. "To see it embraced at a gubernatorial prospect forum makes me very pleased to have labored with these visionary organizers/activists."

Just after Evers and Barnes received the election in November 2018, narrowly defeating incumbent Republicans Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch, Barnes ongoing supporting the jail initiative, tweeting in October 2019, "Neat, let’s slash our prison populace in 50 %."

Because Evers and Barnes entered office, Wisconsin’s prison inhabitants has been minimized by about 15%. In 2019, the inhabitants was 23,777, in comparison to 20,123 now, in accordance to 2022 studies from the point out Division of Corrections.

The large greater part of these now incarcerated – 68% – are classified as "violent" offenders, this means it would be unattainable to slash the inhabitants in "half" devoid of releasing at the very least some of people violent offenders.

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In 2016, when he was nevertheless a point out legislator, Barnes sponsored a invoice to end money bail in Wisconsin. The evaluate, which did not make it out of committee, would have required a defendant to be introduced unless there was "distinct and convincing evidence" that he or she was a flight danger or a danger to modern society, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted.

For the duration of a September 2018 podcast, Barnes also explained he supported making it possible for inmates to vote.

"I have lengthy championed restoration of voting rights promptly after anyone has served their sentence, and I mean, honestly, even when anyone is locked up," he stated.

Barnes has also produced statements on the web with a delicate tone on the defund the police movement, and his campaign has been given funding from 5 teams that advocate for defunding cops.

"Defunding the police only goals of being as radical as a Donald Trump pardon," Barnes tweeted in July 2020.

On Sept. 3, 2020, Barnes blasted the prison justice system immediately after the law enforcement officers involved in the shooting demise of Breonna Taylor did not face charges.

"You can feel how you want about to phone calls to reform, defund, or abolish but the query is, how can a procedure that allows this to happen continue to be upheld?" he wrote.

The lieutenant governor also spoke at a big assembly for the Center for Well-liked Democracy — a significantly-remaining group that supports defunding the law enforcement and statements Israel targets Palestinians with "violent attacks."

"Defund law enforcement. Defund law enforcement states," the team tweeted in May well of previous year. "Defund militarized profession. Defund point out-sanctioned violence."

Barnes has stated in the push that he does not assistance the defund the police motion, despite his earlier statements. 

Johnson's marketing campaign slammed Barnes as "dangerous" in a assertion to WHD News Digital.

"Lt. Gov. Barnes is a socialist liberal who cares a lot more about catering to his ‘woke’ foundation than preserving Wisconsin households safe and sound," Johnson marketing campaign spokesman Alec Zimmerman claimed.

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"Crime is out-of-handle in Wisconsin, and we can not find the money for to elect a radical who cares more about criminals than their victims. Mandela Barnes is unsafe for Wisconsin," he said.

Barnes's campaign did not respond to WHD News Digital’s request for comment.

WHD News’ Houston Keene contributed to this report.