Hijacking Campaign 2026 | Campaign 2026
Posted: February 24, 2026
Updated: August 25, 2026
Fall: Oath • Spending
Spring: Oath • Spending
Democracy First PAC first registered to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin elections at the beginning of February 2026. The Evanston, Illinois based organization also has a similarly named federally registered PAC that has been active since 2022. The treasurer for both the state and federal PACs is Harry Pascal, the founder of the Progressive Turnout Project. The political action committee (PAC) is the campaign arm of democracyFIRST, an organization formed in 2021 to combat authoritarianism and promote democracy which it does by backing pro-democracy candidates in elections at all level of government.
As of August 2026, the committee has reported receiving no income. Its last full campaign finance report on file with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission shows a negative cash balance exceeding $287,000.
Fall Election
Despite the committee's lack of funds as cited above, on the last Monday in August, it reported spending nearly $35,000 for door hangers and campaign staff to support Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa for Wisconsin Secretary of State. A Milwaukee City alder and former state legislator, Zamarripa faces Republican and self-described "MAGA activist" Jay Schroeder for the open seat. The current incumbent, Democrat Sarah Godlewski, appointed to that position by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, is running for lieutenant governor.
Spring Election
At the beginning of the last week in February, the committee reported spending about $20,000 in a dozen local elections, with $1,270 going towards canvassing in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election. The group supported former Democratic state legislator and Dane County Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor in the April 7th election. Taylor faced fellow Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar of Waukesha for an open seat on the high court. Taylor’s victory gave liberals a 5-2 majority on the officially nonpartisan court.
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.