Democrat Mandela Barnes drops out of Winconsin governor's race

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes announced on Thursday he's dropping out of the Democratic race for governor in Wisconsin. 

He said in a video posted on X that the decision was the result of a "difficult conversation" with his staff. 

“We’re incredibly proud of all the things that we’ve accomplished and all the resources that we have raised to spread our message. But it’s become very clear who our nominee is going to be," Barnes said. 

The statement is likely a reference to Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, whose lead in the poll has widened ahead of the August primary, NBC News reported.