Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: July 23, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

While this Arlington, Virginia based political action committee (PAC) is unregistered with the state of Wisconsin, paperwork filed with the Federal Elections Commission shows it was only established this past June. Its treasurer, Jennifer Gross, is an official with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, with which the PAC shares an address. That organization made independent expenditures with different committee in the 2019 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election.

FEC fundraising and spending reports filed by Election Integrity PAC show it's sole contributor was Restoration PAC, which contributed $846,515 to Election Integrity PAC in June. Restoration PAC is funded by rightwing billionaire Richard Uihlein, who founded shipping and packing giant Uline along with his wife, Elizabeth.

Richard Uihlein also spent millions of dollars to back GOP candidate for governor Kevin Nicholson, who dropped out the race about a month before the primary. The Uihleins were also the largest contributors to the state legislative campaign committees, doling out $1.5 million between January 2016 and December 2021.

Just over two weeks from the August 9 primary, the committee reported spending over $52,000 for mailers to support candidates in three Republican primary races: the 13th and 84th assembly districts and secretary of state.

In the remaining days before the primary election, Election Integrity PAC spent nearly another $156,000 for mailers and texts.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: Juy 29, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

This is a Super PAC located in Washington, D.C., with a track record of opposing Democrats in general elections and Republicans in primary races who it does not feel are conservative enough.

The Super PAC, which was founded in 2010 as an arm of the national Club for Growth, focuses on “defeating big-government politicians and replacing them with pro-growth, limited-government conservatives.”

In the 2020 election cycle, Club for Growth Action spent more than $71 million mostly on independent expenditures in congressional races.

In late July 2022, the Super PAC registered to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin to oppose GOP candidate for governor Rebecca Kleefisch. She faced three opponents in the Aug. 9 GOP primary to determine who would face Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on the November ballot.

Initially, the group reported spending more than $2.5 million on television ads to oppose Kleefisch. The group told WisPolitics.com that it was spending about $1.3 million on television, cable, and radio ads in the Milwaukee and Green Bay markets.

The group’s first ad accused Kleefisch of taking junkets around the world paid for by foreign interests while she was lieutenant governor between 2011 and 2018. After leaving office, the ad says Kleefisch took a cushy Washington job where she “works for them, not for us.”

Five days before the primary, Club for Growth reported spending nearly another $1 million for radio, television and digital ads to oppose Kleefisch and yet another $9,800 towards further television advertising the day before the primary.

A second ad by the group in early August criticized Kleefisch for a 2014 trip to China she took as lieutenant governor.  The ad said she returned to Wisconsin "spouting Chinese propaganda," and that Kleefisch was "easy to co-opt, too weak to lead."

Years earlier, another arm of the national Club for Growth called Club for Growth Wisconsin spent more than $11.4 million mostly on undisclosed issue advertising in Wisconsin legislative and statewide races from 2007 through 2013.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: August 3, 2022
Updated: March 11, 2025

Oath • Spending

This political action committee (PAC) is controlled by the Working Families Party, which supports progressive and Democratic candidates for local, state, and federal offices. The party and PAC are based in Brooklyn, NY, and Mike Boland, who is the party’s field director, serves as the PAC’s treasurer. In 2021 the party had endorsed Jilly Underly in her successful race for Wisconsin state school superintendent. The party's local branch made independent expenditures in the 2016 and 2020 fall elections.

The party's PAC spent about $2,650 to support Angelito Tenorio, an also-ran in the August Democratic primary for treasurer.

In September it spent $328,000 for campaign literature and canvassing to support Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers.

By the time the election was over it had spent about another $4,100 to back Evers.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: August 5, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

This is federal political action committee (PAC) used by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the nation's largest and most controversial pro-gun group, to support Republican and conservative candidates and attack Democrats in races for federal and state offices. Between 2010 and 2020, the NRA spent over $4.5 million on issue ads and independent expenditures placing it among the top interest group spenders spenders in Wisconsin state elections.

During the August 2022 primaries, the NRA reported spending about $2,600 on postcards endorsing candidates in five Republican legislative primaries and the attorney general's race.

Towards the end of September, the NRA reported its first substantial outlay for independent expenditures in Wisconsin's 2022 elections when it reported over $280,000 for radio ads to oppose Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and to support his Republican rival, Tim Michels.

Towards the end of the first week of October, the organization reported spending nearly $50,000 to support Michels as well as the GOP candidates for attorney general and lieutenant governor, Fond du Lac District Attorney Eric Toney and  then State Sen. Roger Roth.

Less than three weeks before the November 8 election, the NRA reported spending a little over an additional $1,200 to support Michels.

By the time of the election, the NRA had spent nearly another $89,000 to report Republican candidates for state-wide and legislative office.

Last active election: 2020

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: August 5, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

This new committee is sponsored by the Milwaukee based Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC), an organization that works to advance the interests of the Black community in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

During the primaries, BLOC PAC reported spending nearly $12,000 on brochures to support candidates in four Democratic primaries: Sara Rodriguez for lieutenant governor, Angelito Tenorio for state treasurer, challenger Alexia Sabor for secretary of state, and Darrin Madison in the 10th assembly district in Milwaukee. With the exception of secretary of state, currently held by Democrat Douglas La Follette, the incumbent is not seeking reelection to those offices. Two of the four supported by BLOC PAC, Madison and Rodriguez, won nomination to their respective offices.

At the end of the first week in October, the organization reported spending nearly $29,000 on brochures and campaign staff to support Demcoratic incumbents Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul, as well as the new Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Sara Rodriguez.

By the time of the election BLOC PAC had reported spending an nearly an additional $101,000 to support Evers, Kaul, and Rodriguez.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: August, 6, 2022
Udated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

This is a conservative electioneering group based in Alexandria, Va. that uses canvassing, phone banks, and texting activities to support Republican candidates. In 2020, the year Make Liberty Win was first involved in Wisconsin state elections, the group’s website said it wanted to help elect 250 “liberty-defending” state legislators throughout the country. According to its website, the organization seeks to elect the exact same number of state legislators in 2022.

Make Liberty Win had reported spending nearly $38,000 on mailers and phone banks to support candidates in two Republican primaries: Joy Goeben in the open 5th assembly district and Rep. Rachael Cabral-Guevara in the open 19th senate. Make Liberty Win supported Cabral-Guevara in her maiden campaign for the state assembly in 2020.

After the primary, it spent about another $98,000 supporting Republican candidates in various legislative races.

Last active election: 2020

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: September 16, 2022
Updated: March 25, 2024

Oath • Spending

This Arlington, VA based, anti-abortion political action committee (PAC) describes itself as a "partner" of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an organization last directly involved in Wisconsin politics with the 2019 state supreme court election. The PAC's treasurer, Jennifer Gross, is also the treasurer for Election Integrity PAC, which was involved in several Republican primaries earlier in 2022. This is the first time Wisconsin Women Speak Out PAC made independent expenditures in Wisconsin state elections.

In mid-September the PAC first reported spending with $11,250 for door hangers and canvassing expenses in opposition to Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers and to support his Republican opponent, Wisconsin businessman Tim Michels. At the end of September it reported spending another $750 on the race.

By the end of the campaign it had reported spending over an additional $310,000 for online advertising, mailers and canvassing in the governor's race.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: September 17, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

This is an unregistered committee controlled by the Washington D.C.-based Service Employees International Union - SEIU.  This particular SEIU committee - there have been several over the years - was first active in Wisconsin with the fall 2018 elections. Between 2018 and 2020 it spent over a reported $1.7 million to support Democrats in partisan elections as well as "liberal" candidates for the officially non-partisan Wisconsin State Supreme Court.

It first reported independent expenditures in the fall 2022 elections in mid-September with $10,250 for online advertising to support Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers. In mid-October the committee reported spending $35,000 on radio ads to support Evers.

It later spent nearly another $4,400 for online advertising, phone calls and texts to support Evers.

Another SEIU sponsored committee - SEIU Wisconsin State Council Independent Expenditure Committee - has also reported spending in the 2022 elections.

Last active election: 2020

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: September 24, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

This Maryland based committee is run by National Nurses United, which describes itself as "the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in U.S. history."

In late September the union first reported spending in the 2022 election with over $30,500 going towards the reelection campaign of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

In the remaining weeks leading up to the election it spent nearly another $39,000 on mailers, phone calls, texts and canvassing to support Evers.

In 2014, National Nurses United had registered an independent expenditure committee with the state to conduct independent expenditures in that year's gubernatorial election, but all its spending was funneled through another committee active in that election, Progressive Kick Wisconsin IE Committee.

Last active election: 2014

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2022 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2022

Posted: September 24, 2022
Updated: March 22, 2024

Oath • Spending

Based in Arlington, VA, American Principles Project PAC is sponsored by the American Principles Project, a think tank that advocates for socially conservative issues.

In late September the PAC first reported independent expenditures in the 2022 election when it spent nearly $166,000 on television ads to oppose the reelection of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

Three weeks before the November 8 election, the organization reported spending about $28,300 for mailers in two open legislative districts, the 19th state senate and the 84th assembly.

Less than three weeks before the election, it reported spending over $14,000 for mailers in the same two legislative districts. A week later it reported spending $10,000 for text messages supporting the GOP candidates in those districts.

Eleven days before the election, the committee reported spending $4,500 for texts opposing Evers and yet another $4,500 for more such texts four days before the election.

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.