Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022
Posted: October 27, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024
Estimated spending: $600,000
This conservative phony issue ad group with a Waunakee post office box as an address was created about seven years ago by ex-GOP legislative and state Republican Party staff to support GOP and conservative candidates for legislative and statewide offices.
The group spent more than $3.2 million on electioneering activities in spring and fall elections between 2016 and 2020, making it one of the top outside spending groups in Wisconsin state elections in the past 12 years.
Despite its age, little is known about who runs this group other than Eric O’Keefe is one of its directors. O’Keefe formerly led the conservative Club for Growth and was also one of the targets of a John Doe investigation into alleged coordination between the Club and other electioneering groups with the campaign of former GOP Gov. Scott Walker.
In mid- to late September, the group first sponsored about in television ads to oppose Democrat Jessica Katzenmayer in the 5th Senate District, spending about $350,000.
In mid- to late October, the Alliance spent an estimated $180,000 on television ads to oppose Democratic candidate John Adams in the 74th Assembly District race.
In late October, the Wisconsin Alliance for Reform spent an estimated $70,000 sponsoring a radio ad and a mailing that criticized Laura Gapske, a Democratic candidate for the open 73rd Assembly seat, for some of her views and votes on education policy as a city of Superior school board member.
Last active election: 2020