2022 Wisconsin Senate Election
News coverage of the Wisconsin Senate election. See the race between Mandela Barnes, polling at 47%, and Ron Johnson, polling at 47%. Ron Johnson has been the Senator from Wisconsin since 2010. See their news, bias in the media coverage and more in our Wisconsin election page. See other states and more information on our 2022 U.S. Senate page.
Top Wisconsin Candidates
Democrat CandidateMandela Barnes Polls: 47% Sample: 31,440Percentage of News: 40%
News Diet Breakdown
Left: 71%
Center: 29%
Republican CandidateRon Johnson Polls: 47% Sample: 36,072Percentage of News: 60%
News Diet Breakdown
16%
15%
Right: 69%
Coverage Breakdown
Coverage Breakdown is based on the number of articles published per candidate.
Mandela Barnes
Ron Johnson
Top 2022 Wisconsin Senate Election News
US & Canada · WisconsinSen. Ron Johnson (Wis.), who was the Democrats’ biggest Republican target in the Senate, was projected to defeat Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D) and win reelection to a third term. See the Story
Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson Wins Re-Election
37% Left coverage: 51 sources
US & Canada · MilwaukeeFormer President Obama will travel to Wisconsin to campaign for Democratic candidates in the state at the end of the month. A webpage from the Wisconsin Democratic Party states that Obama will visit Milwaukee on Saturday, Oct. 29 for an “early vote” event. Wisconsin is seen as a possible pickup opportunity for Democrats seeking to maintain and expand their narrow majority in the Senate. Obama won Wisconsin in 2008 by 14 points and by 7 points in 2012.
See the Story
Obama to campaign for Wisconsin Democratic candidates at end of month
54% Center coverage: 30 sources
US & Canada · South CarolinaSen. Tim Scott won reelection to what he said will be his last term. Scott is the U.S. Senate's only Black Republican. He has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2024 or later depending on how the field shapes up. See the Story
Tim Scott projected to win South Carolina Senate race
56% Left coverage: 18 sources
Latest 2022 Wisconsin Senate Election News
US & Canada · WisconsinIn a new Marquette Law School poll released Wednesday, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson took a six-point lead among likely voters over his Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes. Johnson, who is seeking a third time, was backed by 52% of those polled compared to 46% for Barnes. The poll's margin of error among likely voters is +/-4.8%. In the governor's race, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers held a 47% to 46% lead over Republican Tim Michels among likely voters.See the Story
Johnson holds 6-point lead over Barnes in Wisconsin Senate race: poll
52% Center coverage: 23 sources
US & Canada · WisconsinJohnson, seeking his third term, and Barnes, Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor, agreed to a one-hour, televised debate hosted by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association in Milwaukee. Abortion, crime and inflation have dominated the race. An 1849 law banning abortion led clinics in Wisconsin to stop providing abortion services after the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that protected abortion rights. Barnes has highlighted Johnson’s support for anti-abortion legislation. Polls have repeatedly shown a majority of Wisconsinites support abortion rights.See the Story
Johnson, Barnes to debate in tight Wisconsin Senate race
47% Center coverage: 19 sources
Business · MilwaukeeStanding beside the pulpit at King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church on a crisp fall Sunday morning, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes was preaching to the choir — they were assembled behind him, clad in blue and gold robes. “This community is always top of mind for me,” he reassured the mostly older congregants filling the pews, as he hit on issues he knew they care about: crime, jobs, inflation.See the Story
Barnes’ Senate bid may ride on Milwaukee’s Black turnout
70% Center coverage: 17 sources
Crime · WisconsinDemocrat Mandela Barnes and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson sparred over their respective ties to the middle class and their views on crime in the second and possibly final Wisconsin Senate debate. Barnes was clearly eager to attack Johnson — perhaps an acknowledgment that the Democratic lieutenant governor is under more pressure with new polls showing him falling behind the GOP incumbent in the pivotal matchup. Republicans are trying to defend this seat in a state President Joe Biden won in 2020 as they look to flip the closely divided Senate in November.See the Story
Five takeaways from the final Barnes-Johnson debate in Wisconsin
64% Center coverage: 17 sources
US & Canada · MadisonRepublican Senator Ron Johnson was booed by members of the audience during his second debate against his Democratic opponent Wisconsin. Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes on Thursday night. Some people in the crowd loudly booed the U.S. senator when he responded to a question about what he found admirable about Barnes by accusing the Democrat of being "against America"See the Story
Ron Johnson's response to debate question loudly booed by audience
74% Left coverage: 19 sources
US & Canada · WisconsinRepublican Sen. Ron Johnson defeats Democrat Mandela Barnes. Barnes was seeking to become the first Black senator from Wisconsin. Johnson is one of former President Donald Trump's biggest backers. The race was one of a handful of tight Senate contests across the country that could determine which party holds majority control.See the Story
Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson beats Barnes, avoiding Dem Senate pickup
67% Center coverage: 9 sources
US & Canada · Washington“The American people deserve to know whether the FBI used Facebook as part of their alleged plan to discredit information about Hunter Biden,” wrote Sens. Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley.See the Story
GOP senators demand Facebook hand over FBI communication on Hunter Biden
100% Right coverage: 12 sources
Riots · WashingtonWisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson repeated his claim Tuesday that the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol was not an "armed insurrection" Johnson added that protesters "did teach us how you can use flagpoles, that kind of stuff, as weapons" Johnson's campaign says he was comparing the methods used by racial justice protesters in the summer of 2020 with January 6 rioters.See the Story
Ron Johnson Says Riots Were Not ‘Armed Insurrection’
75% Left coverage: 12 sources
Crime · WisconsinMandela Barnes, the Democrat taking on Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in Wisconsin’s Senate race, on Thursday faces what could be his last clear shot at rebutting the avalanche of GOP attacks on crime and police funding that have taken a months-long toll on his campaign. Barnes and Johnson are set to meet for their second and final debate Thursday night — hours after the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol holds a hearing that is expected to function as its closing argument ahead of the November midterm elections.See the Story
Barnes seeks to rebut crime attacks headed into final Senate debate with Johnson in Wisconsin
55% Center coverage: 11 sources
Media Bias Breakdown
How is the media covering 2022 Wisconsin Senate Election?2022 Wisconsin Senate Election often has a balanced coverage.
Left: 29%
22%
Right: 29%
