Insurrection supporter Sen. Ron Johnson tried to portray himself as a friend to law enforcement during the Wisconsin Senate debate, and it did not go well.
Video:
Mandela Barnes calls Ron Johnson an insurrection supporter during Wisconsin Senate debate. pic.twitter.com/nMUZCqeLYv
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) October 8, 2022
Johnson said, “Whenever I see a police officer, I go up to him and say thank you for your service. If I have time, I say please don’t be dispirited by the allowed of you who are trying to defund you.”
Barnes had a response ready, “I’m sure he did not have the same interaction with the 140 officers who were injured during the January 6th insurrection. One officer stabbed that middle stake. Another crushed between a revolving door. Another hit in the head with a fire extinguisher. When we talk about respect, let’s think about the 140 officers he left behind because of an insurrection he supported.”
It was that kind of night for Sen. Ron Johnson, who is running for office in violation of his term limit pledge. The most recent polling has the Wisconsin US Senate election tied at 47%-47%. Debates don’t usually change minds, but very bad nights can swing some undecided voters in a close contest.
Ron Johnson did not have a good debate. When a candidate gets called out for being a supporter of the effort to overthrow the government, things are not going well.
It is going to be tough to upset an incumbent like Johnson, but Mandela Barnes sent a powerful message while looking the part of a United States Senator.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association