Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates present themselves as champions of racial and social justice. Yet their policies and priorities often overlook or ignore the urgent needs of Black Wisconsinites.
Education Policies That Ignore Wisconsin’s Racial Gap
Wisconsin has the worst Black–white education disparities in the country. Despite this fact, Democratic candidates continue to champion public school funding increases without addressing needed educational reforms.
Two candidates, Mandela Barnes and Sara Rodriguez, served under Governor Evers the “education governor,” as lieutenant governors during years when achievement gaps widened the most. How can we trust they will fix public schools when they had a chance to address this issue before?
Several Democratic candidates want to end or severely cut School Choice spending, even though School Choice participation among Blacks has reached historic highs.
Criminal Justice Positions That Feel Detached From Black Communities
All the Democratic candidates agree on reducing Wisconsin’s prison population thus releasing bad actors back into mostly Black communities without proper rehabilitation.
Black residents, especially here in Milwaukee, are already dealing with frequent and violent crimes. Black communities are living the effects of soft on crime prosecutors and judges. We do not need a governor who will also be soft on crime.
These gubernatorial candidates do not have viable safety plans. They do not address the needs of crime victims who are disproportionately Black.
Economic Promises Without a Blueprint for Black Middle‑Class Recovery
Wisconsin once had one of the strongest Black middle classes in America built on manufacturing. When those jobs disappeared, the collapse hit Milwaukee’s Black middle class the hardest.
None of the candidates offer detailed plans for Black entrepreneurship, Black homeownership, or reversing generational wealth loss.
They all want to roll back many of President Trump’s policies which include Opportunity Zones that promote economic development and job creation in distressed communities. Milwaukee has been using the Opportunity Zone program with great success.
Democratic candidates economic messaging is vague and tone deaf to the needs of growing the Black middle class.
Democratic Leadership Has Not Improved Outcomes for Black Wisconsinites
Black Wisconsinites have lived under Democratic leadership for decades and the outcomes speak volumes.
The candidates offer more of the same predictable excuses of blaming President Trump, and the Republican led state legislature. Black families are tired of these excuses. They want improvement and solid plans that will make their lives better.
Many Black Wisconsinites feel uninspired with these candidates. They are tired of being treated as a guaranteed voting base while their neighborhoods see very little improvement. They are tired of candidates who speak the language of national progressive, socialist politics but ignore the realities of Black Wisconsinites.
Black Wisconsinites are at a crossroads with voting for a new direction or keeping with the status quo.
