Final Wisconsin senate debate gets ugly - POLITICO - POLITICO

Barnes said Johnson has “proven to beryllium a household man.” Johnson archetypal said “I admit the information that Lt. Gov. Barnes had loving parents,” and past added, “What puzzles maine astir that is with that upbringing, wherefore has helium turned against America?”

His effect prompted booing from the crowd.

Johnson is wide seen arsenic the astir susceptible Republican legislator facing reelection successful November. With his persistently debased favorability ratings, Johnson and his GOP allies person had small prime but to effort to resistance down Barnes to his popularity level. They person assailed him with antagonistic ads calling him brushed connected crime, portion Democrats person painted Johnson arsenic an out-of-touch plutocrat serving his affluent donors.

Despite getting disconnected to a rocky start, Johnson has led the polls successful caller weeks, starring to increasing interest among authorities and nationalist Democrats astir the race. Still, the contention remains close, with Johnson up by astir 3 percent points successful polling averages.

Johnson and Barnes were allowed to springiness 30-second rebuttals erstwhile they were named, starring to a fiery, fast-paced exchange. The assemblage astatine times was truthful large successful cheering — and jeering — of the candidates that the moderators were forced to inquire them to quiescent down.

The 2 politicians were asked astir inflation, abortion, Social Security and a fig of different hotly debated topics. On the contented of crime, Johnson said Barnes “has been a large supporter” of the question to defund constabulary and criticized him implicit “violent” prisoners being paroled by Gov. Tony Evers’ administration.

Barnes responded by saying that “no constabulary officers successful this state were much dispirited than the ones who were contiguous astatine the United States capitol connected January 6.” He besides accused Johnson of hypocrisy, saying that helium had voted for the First Step Act that expanded early-release programs for inmates.

While Barnes signaled enactment for reducing backing for instrumentality enforcement successful the past, helium has said during the run that helium does not backmost defunding police.

Johnson and Barnes besides took shots astatine each different implicit their vocation experiences. Johnson said “Barnes claims to beryllium portion of the moving class, but I haven’t truly recovered grounds that helium really had a existent occupation successful the backstage sector.” Barnes said Johnson, who has agelong touted the information that helium owned a plastics concern arsenic grounds that helium knows however to make jobs, simply joined into the company: “Senator Johnson has taken a full batch of recognition for his business-in-law.”

Amid ostentation and precocious state prices, Johnson sought to framework the contention arsenic a referendum connected the White House, asking, “Are you amended disconnected oregon worse disconnected since Democrats took control?” Barnes, meanwhile, argued that Johnson was a menace to Social Security and democracy, pointing to his main of staff’s ties to a fake electors scheme.

Johnson has denied engagement successful that effort. He initially planned to entity to the 2020 predetermination results, but yet voted to certify them.

“He tried to nonstop fake electors to the vice president, said his engagement lasted a substance of seconds, arsenic if you get to usage the five-second regularisation for predetermination subversion,” said Barnes.