Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: March 18, 2025
Updated: April 4, 2025
Based in Mission, Kansas, this rightward leaning organization touts itself as an advocate for the country's "hunting heritage." Among the organization's key issues are gun ownership and wolf hunting. The group's national spokesperson, rock musician Ted Nugent, was on the board of the National Rifle Association (NRA) for 26 years. Among its board members is the Republican attorney general for Kansas Kris Kobach.
In mid-March, the organization announced that it planned to spend over $1.8 million to back Waukesha County Circuit Court and former Republican state attorney general Brad Schimel for Wisconsin State Supreme Court. The group claims its campaign for Schimel will include videos featuring elected officials and well-known celebrities. One such video features Donald Trump, Jr., and another, the organization’s founder Keith Mark, endorsing Schimel for the court. The group had already sponsored a “virtual campfire” with Schimel that was co-hosted by Nugent in late February before announcing the campaign.
Schimel faced Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford for an open seat on the state’s high court. Although the court is officially nonpartisan, Schimel was backed by the state GOP and Crawford by the Democrats. Liberals won a 4-3 majority on the court in the 2023 election; the election of Schimel would have given control back to conservatives. Crawford won and liberals kept their majority.
Six days after announcing its campaign for Schimel, and 13 days before the election, the group filed its first spending reports with the state. The reports show that the group started spending on March 12 with about $338,000 going to a direct mail campaign supporting Schimel. So far, the group reports spending over $392,500 for online advertising in support of the conservative court candidate.
A week from the election, Hunter Nation reported spending about $385,000 on texts, phone calls and online advertising to back Schimel.
Two days after the election, the organization reported it had spent nearly another $54,000 for texts and phone calls in the race.
Last active election: 2023
This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.