GOP Sen. Ron Johnson debates challenger Mandela Barnes in Milwaukee, draws boos, laughs
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, held their second and final debate in Milwaukee on Thursday night. It was a pugnacious affair near the end of a tight race.
Barnes tried to paint Johnson as an out-of-touch millionaire who owes his fortune to "his business-in-law," the plastics company started by his wife's family. Johnson aimed to portray Barnes as an "actor" with limited private-sector job experience. They accused each other of wasting taxpayer money — Barnes on his security detail, Johnson on flights to his second home in Florida — sparred over who is more disrespectful to law enforcement, and drew largely symbolic lines on abortion rights.
The debate also featured a relatively substantive debate on Social Security and Medicare, focused on Johnson's proposal to make the popular entitlements part of the regular budget, to be authorized (or not) every year. "I want to save Social Security. I want to save Medicare," Johnson said. "I never said I wanted to cut or put Social Security on the chopping block." Barnes responded that Johnson "talks about making Social Security discretionary spending. That means he's coming for your retirement."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Both candidates supported arming Ukraine against Russia, Johnson with more caveats, and Barnes reminded viewers that the FBI had to warn Johnson in 2020 that the Kremlin was trying to turn him into a "Russian asset" — after Johnson returned from a 2018 visit to Moscow suggesting the U.S. rethink its sanctions, and popped up repeatedly in former President Donald Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine to find dirt on Democrats in exchange for U.S. arms.
"The FBI set me up with a corrupt — with a corrupt briefing, and then leaked that to smear me," Johnson said, drawing laughs from the audience. Barnes "is referring to corruption at the FBI, which I have been trying to uncover and expose." The FBI setup line is "common fare in right-wing media but impenetrable for most others," Reid Epstein explains at The New York Times.
At the end of the debate, both candidates were invited to say something they admire about their opponent. Johnson's reply earned boos.
Laughs and jeers notwithstanding, neither candidate "committed any significant errors," and the debate is "unlikely to change the course of the election," Epstein writes. And that benefits Johnson, "who has risen in the polls as he and his allies have launched the most expensive TV ad campaign in Wisconsin's history."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Nasa's 'strangest find': pure sulphur on Mars
Under the Radar Curiosity rover discovers elemental sulphur rocks, adding to 'growing evidence' of life-sustaining elements on Red Planet
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Bodycam shows deputy killing Black woman
Speed Read An Illinois deputy fatally shot Sonya Massey, who had called 911 about suspected trespassers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Spare us the charade'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Even with the incumbency factor, the center-left can win and win big'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published