Mandela Barnes, who gave up Assembly seat to challenge Senator Lena Taylor loses primary

GLENDALE -- Representative Mandela Barnes challenged Senator Lena Taylor for her 4th District Wisconsin Senate seat. Taylor won the primary, the Associated Press reported around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Barnes decided to give up his Assembly seat in an unusual primary challenge of Taylor, who has been in the Senate since 2004. The 29-year-old Barnes argued that he would provide a fresh perspective, while the 50-year-old Taylor said she was more experienced and a better fit for the district.

Barnes was first elected to the Assembly in 2012.

As voters headed to the polls on Tuesday, August 9th to vote in the partisan primary, Barnes and his team spent the day knocking on doors and making last-minute phone calls to try to encourage people to get to the polls.

Barnes voted Tuesday morning at the North Shore Library on Port Washington Road in Glendale.

Mandela Barnes

After casting his ballot, Barnes spoke about what brought him to make the decision to vacate his seat in the Wisconsin Assembly for a possible Senate seat.

Mandela Barnes

"This is about making our schools stronger, our communities safer and providing economic opportunity. That`s where I have the biggest difference with our current senator," Barnes said.

Barnes and his supporters watched the results come in Tuesday at Sprecher Brew Pub at Bayshore Town Center in Glendale.

Mandela Barnes

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.