Mandela Barnes is back on the campaign trail, this time running for governor, and he stopped in studio leaning heavily into a "working class vs. corporate greed" narrative.

Throughout the show, Barnes hit on his priorities, giving a Top 10 of what he’d like to get done that included expanding BadgerCare, fully funding public schools, and increasing the minimum wage. He also detailed plans to freeze utility rates, tax billionaires, and implement universal childcare, arguing that Wisconsin has "backslid" while neighboring states have pulled ahead.

We didn't just talk about his "wish list," though. We also threw Barnes a bit of  a conspiracy theory that Republicans in the Legislature — including retiring leadership — might be trying to "set the state up to fail," by draining the budget surplus before a potential Democratic takeover. 

Barnes also took aim at US House Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for governor, calling his support of certain federal policies a "dereliction of duty" that has left Wisconsin family farms and small businesses footing the bill.

The conversation wrapped with skepticism about AI data centers in the state. Barnes joined the pushback against the "secrecy deals" and non-disclosure agreements that often surround these projects, arguing that if big tech wants to use Wisconsin’s water and energy, they shouldn't be doing it behind closed doors — or at the expense of local ratepayers.