NBC News panelist Brendan Buck said Sunday that crime was having a “devastating effect” on Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is running against Sen. Ron Johnson, R-WI., in the Wisconsin senate race.
Buck, a former adviser to Paul Ryan and John Boehner, told the NBC “Meet the Press” panel that most Republicans were “running on crime.”
“Particularly in Wisconsin, it is working to devastating effect on Mandela Barnes. Republicans, Ron Johnson is someone who should be very vulnerable, but he has been hitting this crime issue. And in some places, it’s just going to work better than others,” he said during “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
The panel discussed a moment from the debate between Johnson and Barnes on Friday. Johnson said that he thanks police officers for their service and added, “please don’t be dispirited by the loud few who are trying to defund you.”
Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes waits before a televised debate with U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Milwaukee.Â
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Barnes fired back and said he was “sure” Johnson didn’t have the same interaction with the “140 officers that were injured during the January 6 insurrection.”
“Let’s talk about the 140 officers that he left behind because of an insurrection that he supported,” Barnes said.
Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told the panel that Democrats have to speak to crime and that Barnes missed an opportunity when he talked about Jan. 6.
“I think that was a little disconnected from what people in Wisconsin are feeling. I mean crime is up in Milwaukee. If I were him, or advising him, which I’m not, I would say you should have made it about the use of gun violence and the fact your opponent has done nothing to address gun violence. And that is what is showing rising crime in Wisconsin. That’s what people are thinking about with their fears when they go out the door, less the insurrection,” Psaki said.
Buck said that Barnes has a record of wanting to “redirect” funds from police and that it would hurt him in the polls.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, file)
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, file)
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Johnson and Barnes were asked about gun violence during the debate. Johnson said gun control was not the solution and added “the overall macro issue is we need to renew faith, strengthen families and have more supportive communities.”
“Another gun control law just isn’t going to work. But as long as we have them, I would suggest maybe enforcing them,” Johnson said.
Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes side by side.Â
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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Barnes criticized gun violence and said that he supported background checks.
“What we need to do is make sure that communities have the resources that they need to prevent that crime from happening in the first place. That means fully funding our schools. It also means making sure that there are good-paying jobs in communities, and we also invested $100 million into law enforcement, public safety and crime-prevention initiatives through the American Rescue Plan,” Barnes said during the debate.