Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: August 2, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This organization is the state branch of the Committee to Protect Healthcare, a national organization of physicians advocating for state and federal policies that make healthcare more accessible. The group supports the Affordable Care Act, abortion rights, protecting Medicare and expanding Medicaid among other issues. The group first registered this committee with the state to make independent expenditures at the beginning of July 2024, but it first made independent expenditures in Wisconsin state elections with the 2023 State Supreme Court election when it operated as an unregistered committee.

The committee first reported spending twelve days before the August 13th legislative primaries with about $1,700 going towards online ads to support Janesville School Board member Cathy Myers in the two-way Democratic primary in the open 44th Assembly District. Four days before the primary, the committee reported spending over another $8,200 for online and television advertising to support Myers. At the end of September, it reported that it had spent over another $1,000 for online advertising on her behalf. Myers lost in the primary; her opponent, fellow Democrat Ann Roe, went on to win the election.

In September, the group turned its attention to opposing Republicans when it reported spending over $140,000 for online advertising in eleven state assembly races and one senate, the 14th, where it opposed incumbent Sen. Joan Ballweg. The 2024 election was the first with new legislative district maps drawn up by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and enacted in 2024, and the general consensus held that those maps made the 14th more favaorable to Democrats. Ballweg lost to her Democratic challenger, Sarah Keyeski.

By the time of the election, the group had reported spending about $390,000 combined in one senate race, the 14th, and thirteen assembly districts, the 21st, 26th, 30th, 44th, 51st, 82nd, 85th, 91st, 92nd, 93rd, 94th, 95th, and 96th. Overall, seven of the fourteen candidates supported by the committee won election, in the 14th senate and in six assembly races, 26th, 91st, 93rd, 94th, 95th, and 96th.

 Last active election: 2023

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: August 3, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This independent expenditure committee, which has a Monona address, supports Democratic and left-leaning candidates for statewide office and the legislature. First active in the 2020 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election, A Better Wisconsin Together had spent over $17.8 million on independent expenditures and issue ads in Wisconsin state elections going into the 2024 campaign, spending that quickly placed it among the top-spending outside electioneering groups in Wisconsin.

In 2024, A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund made its first documented spending in local elections when it reported spending $40,000 in a variety of elections across the state that spring.

Reports filed with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission show the committee had an income in excess of $2 million in 2024. The single largest contributor with $575,000 was the Milwaukee based organization Together Wisconsin Acts followed by $500,000 from the Washington office of AFSCME, the country's largest public employee union.

By the time the election was over, it had reported spending over $1.95 million, mostly for online advertising, to oppose Republicans and support Democrats in twelve assembly - the 21st, 26th, 30th, 51st, 53rd, 61st, 85th, 88th, 89th, 91st, 92nd, and 94th - and five state senate races: the 8th, 14th, 18th, 30th and 32nd. Candidates favored by A Better Wisconsin were successful in only four of the state assembly races - 26th, 89th, 91st and 94th but all its senate candidates won. 

 Last active election: 2023

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: Augut 13, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

Newly formed in 2024, Leaders We Trust is an independent expenditure committee based in Wild Rose, Wisconsin. At the time of the election, the committee’s address was the same as Melee Creative, a company that conducts, in its own words, “print and digital marketing for progressive campaigns and organizations,” and the committee’s treasurer, Dana Miranda, was then the director of operations for Melee Creative. The sole funder of the group was Movement Voter PAC, a federally registered committee based in Massachusetts that also funded Main Street Action PAC, another independent expenditure group active in 2024.

A day before the August 13th primaries, the committee reported it had spent over $15,000 on mailing costs to oppose Jarrod Anderson in the 19th Assembly Democratic primary. Anderson was challenging first-term incumbent Rep. Ryan Clancy in the Milwaukee-based district. Clancy won the primary and was unopposed in the November 5th election. More than a month after the primary, the group reported spending another $9,000 for Facebook ads and campaign literature supporting Clancy.

Ten days before the November 5th general election, Leaders We Trust reported that it had expanded its activity to support Democratic candidates in four more assembly races - the 26th, the 61st, 92nd and 93rd - spending about $10,800 for mailers and online advertising. After the election, it reported spending about another $10,300 in those four contests. In all, the group reported spending over $45,200 in five races and backed three winners, Clancy, Joe Sheehan in the 26th, and Christian Phelps in the 93rd.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: August 16, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

The Wisconsin Initiative IE first registered with the state to make independent expenditures in June 2024 and is sponsored by The Wisconsin Initiative, an organization based in Verona, Wisconsin that advocates for progressive causes. State records show that the Wisconsin Initiative, the parent organization, was created in June 2021. Although this is the first time the organization has reported independent expenditures in Wisconsin state elections, the group was active in the 2022 fall elections when it ran "issue ads" instead.

The Wisconsin Initiative IE had but two sources of income in 2024. It received $115,000 from its corporate sponsor and $2.55 million as a corporate contribution from the Washington, D.C. based Our American Future Action, the advocacy arm of the Our American Future Foundation. The contribution from Our American Future Action was the first the committee received and that came just a week after the committee first registered with the state.

The committee started spending the day after the August 13th primaries, when it reported spending over $83,600 to support Democrats and oppose Republicans in two senate - the 18th and 30th - and four assembly races, the 53rd, 88th, 89th and 92nd. A couple of days later, it reported spending over $105,000 in the 8th Senate. Towards the end of October, it reported spending in one more district, the 94th Assembly.

With the exception of the 94th Assembly, where the incumbent was a Democrat, all the races were for seats represented by Republicans retiring or running in other districts because of new legislative district maps passed earlier that year. In the 92nd Assembly, the Republican candidate, Rep. Clint Moses, was the two-term representative for the 29th but displaced from his old district by the aforementioned maps. Similarly, the Republican candidate in the 8th Senate, Sen. Duey Stroebel, was the incumbent for the 20th Senate at the time.

The Wisconsin Initiative IE spent over $2 million for mailers and online advertising in the election and scored wins in all three senate races, and two in the assembly, the 89th and the 94th. 

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: September 21, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This is a Brookfield-based group that supports Republican candidates in Wisconsin legislative and statewide elections. Between the time it first surfaced in 2010 and 2023, the organization spent over an estimated $3.68 million on issue ads and independent expenditures combined in Wisconsin state elections, placing it among the top special interest group spenders. Former GOP Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, who was disgraced in the caucus scandal, helped create the group. 

The organization first reported spending in mid-September with over a quarter of million dollars going towards radio, online and cable television ads in opposition to Democrats running in a handful of assembly races. By the time the election was over, it had spent nearly a total of $2 million for more such ads and mailers opposing Democrats in seven races, one in the state senate, the 14th, and six in the assembly, the 21st, 26th, 51st, 61st, 91st, and 94th.

Three candidates favored by Jobs First won, all incumbents, Reps. Jessie Rodriguez in the 21st, Todd Novak in the 51st and Bob Donovan in the 61st. Despite being an incumbent, Bob Donovan was running in new district because he was displaced by new legislative district maps passed earlier that year. At the time he represented the 84th. Two GOP incumbents supported by Jobs First lost, Rep. Amy Binsfeld in the 26th Assembly and Sen. Joan Ballweg in the 14th Senate. Binsfeld, like Donovan, was running in a new district because of the new district maps; she had originally represented the 27th. In Ballweg's case, the general consensus before the election was that redistricting had made her district slightly more favorable for Democrats. 

Jobs First was also the sole funder in 2024 of another independent expenditure committee active in that year's elections, Speak Free Or Die.

Last active election: 2023

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: September 21, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This committee is used by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the state’s largest business group, to make independent expenditures to support Republican and conservative candidates for legislative and statewide offices. WMC spent an estimated $37.4 million on independent expenditures and phony issue ads between 2010 and 2023, making it one of the top spenders in Wisconsin state elections.

The group first reported independent spending in mid-September with more than $16,800 going towards radio ads to oppose Democratic incumbent Rep. Steve Doyle of Onalaska.

By the end of the election, it had reported spending more than $329,200 for mailers, television, radio, and online advertisements in its unsuccessful efforts to unseat Doyle.

Last active election: 2023

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: September 22, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This committee was newly formed in fall 2018 by Wisconsin Conservation Voters, a statewide environmental advocacy group, to make independent expenditures to support candidates for the state legislature and other state offices such as governor and the supreme court. Between the fall 2018 election and the 2023 state supreme court and special legislative elections, this committee spent over $6.74 in state-level elections in Wisconsin. Since 2010, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, as an organization, has used four different committees in state elections, including this one, to make independent expenditures amounting to $8.8 million, placing the group among the highest spending outside electioneering groups in Wisconsin state elections.

Wisconsin Conservation Voters first reported making independent expenditures in one senate and two assembly races about six weeks before the November 5th legislative elections, but expanded its spending to encompass two senate - the 8th and 30th - and seven assembly races, the 53rd, 61st, 85th, 88th, 89th, 91st, and 94th. All the supported candidates were Democrats.

After spending more than $1.5 million for direct mail, online advertising, and other costs, five of the committee's favored candidates won, two in the senate - Jodi Habush Sinykin in the 8th and Jamie Wall in the 30th - and three in the assembly, Ryan Spaude in the 89th, Jodi Emerson in the 91st, and Steve Doyle in the 94th. The last two were incumbents. As for Spaude and Wall, they were running in open seats vacated by Republican incumbents who sought election in new districts after they were displaced by new legislative district map while Habush Sinykin defeated just such a displaced incumbent.

Last active election: 2023

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: September 25, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) uses this state-registered committee to make independent expenditures in support of Republicans running for Wisconsin state offices. The RSLC also runs similar operations in other states. All the state committee's income in 2024 came from the national RSLC in Washington, D.C.

The organization spent over $6.9 million between 2010 and 2023 on independent expenditures and phony issue ads in Wisconsin legislative and statewide races, making it one of the top interest group spenders on Badger State elections.

According to reports filed with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission, the state body that regulates campaign finances, RSLC started its 2024 legislative independent spending campaign the day after the August 13th primaries and had already spent nearly $450,000 by the end of the month. The money went towards mailers and online advertising in three senate races, the 8th, the 14th and the 30th. The first two seats featured Republican incumbents, Duey Stroebel in the 8th and Joan Ballweg in the 14th. Stroebel was running in new district after he was displaced from his old seat in the 20th Senate by new legislative maps passed in 2024. As for Ballweg, the general consensus held that her district was more favorable to Democrats after passage of those maps. There was no incumbent running in the 30th as its GOP incumbent was running in the 2nd Senate after the new maps placed him there.

By mid-September, RSLC expanded its activities to include online advertising and mail campaigns in three assembly contests, the 21st, the 26th and the 61st, all incumbent GOP legislators but with caveats. The incumbent in the 21st had represented that district since 2013, but the other two incumbents, both first-term legislators, Amy Binsfeld in the 26th and Bob Donovan in the 61st were running in new districts but had represented, respectively, the 27th and the 84th before 2024's new legislative maps.

The first available RSLC online ad targeted Democratic candidate David Marstellar in the 21st Assembly. The ad attacked Marstellar for opposing school choice and calling parents' rights movements "stupid."

Four weeks before the election, the committee began an ad campaign attacking Democratic candidates in the aforementioned districts for supporting higher taxes. Here is an example from the 61st Assembly.

In total, the RSLC spent over $841,000 for mailers and online advertising in six districts with wins in two races, the 21st and 61st Assembly districts, and losses in four, the 26th Assembly and the 8th, 14th and 30th State Senate. 

Last active election: 2023

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: September 27, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

Main Street Action PAC first registered with the state in late August 2024 to make independent expenditures in the fall elections for the state legislature. It is sponsored by the Main Street Alliance, a “network of small business owners that support left-of-center policies” that was first formed in 2006. In 2024 the committee had but two sources of income, a $200,000 contribution from the Wisconsin Initiative IE, another independent expenditure committee active in Wisconsin state elections that year, and $10,000 from Movement Voter PAC, a federally registered committee based in Massachusetts. Movement Voter PAC also provided funding for another group making independent expenditures in 2024, Leaders We Trust.

Less than six weeks before the November 5th general election, Main Street Action first reported spending with $131,000 for mailers, phone banks, and online advertising to support Democratic challengers in three races, the 14th State Senate and the 51st and 96th Assembly districts. All three districts were considered more favorable to Democrats after the passage of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers's legislative redistricting plan earlier in 2024.

About two weeks later, Main Street Action revised its earlier report, increasing overall spending in the previously reported races by about $4,700. It also reported spending nearly $22,000 for online advertising and mailers to support Rep. Robyn Vining in the 13th Assembly. A Democrat then representing the 14th Assembly, she was running as a challenger against the 13th's incumbent after new legislative maps passed earlier in 2024 put the two in the same district.

In all, Main Street Action spent about $177,000 in the four districts with three flipping from Republican to Democratic representation. Todd Novak, in the 51st, was the only Republican targeted by the group who held on to his seat.

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.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Offices | Campaign 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This is an independent expenditure committee created by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin in 2010 to make independent expenditures on behalf of Democratic candidates for statewide office and the legislature in Wisconsin. Between 2010 and 2023 this committee alone, excluding all the other committees Planned Parenthood has used over the years, spent over $3.5 million in Wisconsin state elections.

The committee first reported independent expenditures in the fall state legislative races five weeks before the November 5th general election. It initially spent $30,000 for canvassing and social media posts opposing Republican candidates and supporting Democrats in eleven state assembly districts and one state senate race, the open 30th in Green Bay.

The group ended up spending over $162,000 on canvassing, social media, phone calls and mailers to support Democrats in four state senate races - the 8th, 18th, 30th and 32nd - and thirteen in the assembly, the 21st, 26th, 30th, 51st, 53rd, 61st, 85th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd, and 94th. All the senate candidates favored by Planned Parenthood won, five running for the assembly did.

Last active election: 2023

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.