Mandela Barnes
| Mandela Barnes | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 11th district | |
|
Assumed office January 7, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Jason Fields |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 1, 1986 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University |
| Occupation | State Representative |
| Religion | Christianity |
Mandela Barnes (born December 1, 1986) is an American community organizer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who defeated Jason Fields, an incumbent member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, in the Democratic Party primary election of August, 2012. Barnes was considered the presumptive winner, since there was no opposition candidate filed against him for the November general election.[1] He received 16,403 votes to 201 scattered votes for others in the November election.[2]
Background
Barnes was born in Milwaukee on December 1, 1986,[3] the son of a public school teacher and a United Auto Workers member. He attended Milwaukee Public Schools, including John Marshall High School; and graduated from Alabama A & M University. He worked for various political campaigns, and in the office of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett; and eventually became an organizer for M.I.C.A.H., a Milwaukee-based interfaith coalition that advocates social justice.
Assembly race
Barnes' campaign made major issues of Fields' support for the school voucher program, and Fields’ opposition to limiting interest rates charged by payday loan companies, whose charges can exceed a 500% annual percentage rate.[4][5] His win was seen as a loss for the pro-voucher American Federation for Children, which pumped over $100,000 into primaries in greater Milwaukee to support candidates, none of whom won.[6]
References
- ↑ [ Richmond, Todd. "13 Wis. incumbents survive legislative primaries" RealClearPolitics August 15, 2012]
- ↑ "G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System; County by County Report; 2012 Presidential and General Election" Wisconsin Governmental Accountability Board (Report Generated - 11/21/2012 1:57:46 PM); p. 11
- ↑ "Mandela Barnes's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ↑ http://elections.wispolitics.com/2012/08/progressives-pull-off-series-of-wins-in.html
- ↑ Marley, Patrick and Alison Bauter. "Longtime state legislators Fields, Krusick lose in primaries" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel August 15, 2012
- ↑ Bauter, Alison. "Mandela Barnes unseats incumbent Jason Fields in District 11" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel August 14, 2012