MADISON, Wis. – Several Wisconsin Democrats have their ears the ground about the vulnerability of U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, the Republican incumbent, in the 2022 election. And two have announced – Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry and former legislator Tom Nelson of Appleton. Johnson has not decided whether to seek a third term. Nor have any Republicans signaled that they will challenge Johnsin in the August 2022 primary. Democrats being talked up for Johnson’s seat:

> Mandela Barnes. Barnes, 34, was elected lieutenant governor in 2019. He served in the State Assembly from north Milwaukee and Wauwatosa from 2013 to 2017. He resigned to run for the State Senate in 2018 and lost. He advocates universal medical care as a human right. He holds a degree from Alabama A&M. His advocacy includes criminal justice reform and 17 as the legal voting age.

> Sarah Godlewski. She was elected state treasurer in 2018. An aide, Phillip Walzak, said she is seriously considering a run. In college she lobbied  the Virginia Legislature to pass absentee ballot reforms. She was the Wisconsin women’s director for the 2016 Clinton presidential campaign. For state treasurer she won a three-way primary over a former treasurer and a Madison television anchor. Age: 39. Roots in Eau Claire.

> Ron Kind. Kind, 57, has family roots in LaCrosse that go back five genrations. He lettered in both football and basketball at Logan Hg School and went to Harvard on scholarship. He holds an advanced degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Minnesota. His early career was as an aide to Senator William Proxmire. He was elected to Congress in 1997.

> Chris Larson. Larson was elected to the State Senate from south Milwaukee in 2010. At age 30, he was the youngest member of the Senate. In a rapid ascent he was named Senate Democratic leader in 2013. He ran for Milwaukee County executive in 2019 but lost. His memberships include the Sierra Club and Planned Parenthood

> Alex Lasry. He is a senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks. He announced his candidacy In January. Lasry, 33, is the son of a hedge-fund billionaire Marc Lasky, who has owned the Bucks since 2014. The younger Lasky said he will take a leave from the Bucks to campaign. Lasry worked in the White House during Obama Administration from 2009 to 2012. He holds a political science degree with honors from University of Pennsylvania.

> Tom Nelson. The outgoing Outagamie County executive in Appleton has announced his candidacy. Earlier Nelson, 45, served six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly and was Democratic majority leader in 2009-2010. He was unsuccessful for attorney general in 2010 and for the U.S. House in 2016.  He holds a degree from Carleton College and an advanced degree in public administration from Princeton.

Steven Olikara. Olikara calls himself a “political entrepreneur.” He founded Millennial Action Project, whose members include 1,500 leaders in Congress and state legislatures. The MAP goal: “Bridge divides and strengthen our democracy.” Olikara  wrote the book “JFK: The Last Speech” on the role of artists in democracy. He is a pundit on cable news channels. Home base: Milwaukee. Age: 31.

Earlier: Johnson on fence about third term