Hijacking Campaign 2024

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on RED PAC

Posted: August 17, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

RED PAC is an unregistered independent expenditure committee based in Austin, Texas. At the time of the 2024 election its only known address was a post office box number shared with RightSide Compliance, a Virginia based company that provides compliance and reporting services to Republican political organizations and candidates. The same post office box also served as the address for various independent expenditure committees such as America PAC, Stand for Us PAC and Stand for Texas PAC.

RED PAC first reported Wisconsin activity with the 2024 spring elections when it spent about $11,400 on a Portage County Board of Supervisors election, an officially nonpartisan race.

The group first reported independent spending in 2024's legislative races three days after the August 13th primaries. All the group's spending in the fall legislative elections, about $6,700, was devoted to mailers backing Republican Ryan Huebsch against Democratic incumbent Rep. Steve Doyle in the 94th State Assembly District, a rematch of the 2022 contest and with the same result.

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 2024 - Information on Voces de la Frontera Action Inc.

Posted: August 19, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This is an unregistered political committee run by the Milwaukee-based Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant rights group that provides legal and employment services and citizenship and language training to immigrant and low-wage workers. This is one of two committees the group has used to make independent expenditures since 2010. Between the two, Voces spent over $1 million in Wisconsin state elections between 2010 and 2023.

Five days after the August 13th primaries, Voces reported that it had spent over $11,000 on flyers, canvassing and text messages to support Democrats in thirteen state legislative races through the primaries, one in the senate, the 14th, and twelve in the assembly, the 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 43rd, and 61st.

Six of the assembly races featured Democratic primaries and all the candidates backed by Voces won but two – Deisy Espana in the 9th and Brandon Williford in the 12th, both running for open seats. Two of the group’s favored primary candidates faced no opposition in November, Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez in the 8th and Rep. Ryan Clancy in the 19th, both incumbents. One candidate supported by Voces, Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde in the 17th Assembly, was unopposed in the both the primary and general election.

After the election, Voces reported it had spent over an additional $239,500 - beginning in mid-October - for canvassing and online advertising to support Democrats in the 14th Senate and fourteen assembly races, eleven in which it had previously reported independent spending. The three new assembly races were the 44th, 47th and the 82nd.

Candidates backed by Voces won in the 14th Senate and in eleven assembly races, the 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 19th, 43rd, 44th and 47th.

Last active election: 2023

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance

Posted: August 20, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

Based in suburban Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance was created in October 2019 to represent Muslim political interests and encourage Muslim political participation. It previously made independent expenditures, under a slightly different name, in Wisconsin state-level elections with the 2020 legislative elections and the 2021 state superintendent of public instruction election. It last made independent expenditures under its current name in the 2023 state supreme court election.

Six days after the August 13th primaries, it reported had spent over $3,300 on Facebook ads in five Democratic primaries, four in the assembly - the 14th, 19th, 47th, the 80th - and the 16th Senate All the candidates supported by the group, but one, incumbent Rep. Ryan Clancy in the 19th Assembly, lost in the primaries. Clancy was unopposed in the general election. All the other candidates supported by the Alliance were running for open seats except for Nasra Wehelie who was challenging the incumbent in the 80th Assembly.

The day before the election, the group reported spending about $2,800 for online advertising to support Democrats in five assembly races, the previously reported 14th, plus four that were new, the 21st, 26th, 61st and 71st.

Candidates backed by the Alliance won election in the 14th, 19th, 26th, and 71st Assembly districts.

Last active election: 2023

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on For Our Future

Posted: September 18, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This Washington D.C. group supports Democratic candidates for federal and state offices. Between 2016 and 2022 it reported spending over $2.46 million in both partisan and non-partisan Wisconsin state elections. It has done all its spending through "unregistered" committees, meaning it does not need to report its sources of income to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, the state agency that monitors and regulates campaign spending. This is the third committee bearing this name active in Wisconsin state elections. All three of these committees have had different D.C.-based addresses. At the time of the 2024 election this iteration of For Our Future shared a post office box with Bold Majority PAC.

The group first reported independent expenditures in the fall 2024 legislative elections in mid-September. It spent just over $9,000 for canvassing and campaign literature to support Democratic candidates in two state assembly races – the 51st and the 92nd – and one state senate race, the 14th. All the Democrats were challenging sitting Republican legislators, although, in the case of the 92nd Assembly, the GOP candidate, Rep. Clint Moses was the incumbent for the 29th but was running in a new district after being displaced by legislative maps passed earlier in 2024. Despite that, Moses was reelected.

By the day of the election the group had reported spending a total of more than $164,000 to support Democrats in two state senate - the 14th and 32nd -and nine state assembly races, the 26th, 30th, 51st, 85th, 91st, 92nd, 94th, 95th, and 96th. Candidates supported by For Our Future won in both senate races and five assembly contests: the 26th, 91st, 94th, 95th, and 96th.

Last active election: 2022

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on Forward Majority Action

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

Fall: Oath • Spending

This unregistered committee is run by Forward Majority, a Democratic group formed in 2017 to contest state legislative elections nationwide. Before 2024, it was first, and last, active in Wisconsin when it spent over $600,000 in the 2018 fall legislative elections. As an unregistered committee, it is only legally obligated to report independent spending and not required to report any other financial information, including the identities of its funders.

In mid-September, the group reported spending over $46,500* for TV ads to support Democratic candidates in three state senate - the 8th, 14th, and the 30th - and nine state assembly races, the 21st, 26th, 30th, 53rd, 61st, 85th, 88th, 89th, and 92nd. By the beginning of October, the committee had reported spending over $245,000 on television advertising across those twelve races.

Four weeks before the November 5th general election, Forward Majority reported spending about $44,300 the three previously mentioned senate races - the 8th, 14th and the 30th - and the same nine assembly districts- the 21st, 26th, 30th, 53rd, 61st, 85th, 88th, 89th, and 92nd. (Click on the preceding links for pdf copies of the literature for that district). A day that, it reported spending about $113,000 for television advertising and campaign literature in those same races. Two days after that, it reported spending about another $2,000 for television advertising to support the Democratic candidates in the 21st Assembly as well as the 8th and 14th Senate races.

By the time the election was over, Forward Majority Action had reported spending over half a million dollars for television ads and $176,000 plus for campaign literature in the twelve races mentioned above. All senate candidates supported by the committee won while only two assembly candidates won, Joe Sheehan in the 26th and Ryan Spaude in the 89th, both running for open seats.

Last active election: 2018

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*On its initial reported it, Forward Majority Action indicated it spent over $4,200 in a fourth state senate race, the 17th, but that seat was not up for reelection this year nor was the candidate in question, Donald Stroud aka Tripp Stroud, currently running for office. In its next report the group claimed to have spent over another $9,500 to oppose Stroud as well as about $237 against Pedro Rodriguez in the 64th Assembly District. Rodriguez tried, but failed, to qualify for the Democratic primary in a 2019 special election in that district and has not run for state office since. From an examination of Forward Majority Action's spending pattern and the interface then used to report independent expenditures to the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign determined that Sen. Duey Stroebel in the 8th Senate and Rep. Jessie Rodriguez in the 21st Assembly were the likely objects of the group's spending. Subsequent reports filed by the committee validate that decision.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on SURJ PAC

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

Fall: Oath • Spending

SURJ PAC is the independent expenditure arm of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). Established in 2009, SURJ seeks to organize white people to fight racism and advocate for racial equity. This is the first time SURJ has reported activity in Wisconsin elections. While the committee is registered with the Federal Elections Commission, it operates in Wisconsin as an unregistered express advocacy group.

Six weeks before the November 5th general election, SURJ first reported spending to support Democratic candidate LuAnn Bird in the 61st Assembly District in suburban Milwaukee. Bird faced GOP Rep. Bob Donovan who was then the incumbent in the 84th. Donovan was running in the 61st due to new legislative maps passed earlier in 2024.

SURJ spent about $6,800 backing Bird's unsuccessful campaign for the legislature.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on WFP National PAC

Posted: September 28, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

This unregistered 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. In 2021 the party endorsed Jilly Underly for Wisconsin state school superintendent but 2022 was the first year the national party reported any spending in Wisconsin state elections. That year it spent over $334,000 between the race for governor and the Democratic primary for state treasurer. The party's local branch, however, made independent expenditures in the 2016 and 2020 fall elections.

The PAC spent over $87,700 to support Democrats against Republicans in three races:

The 21st Assembly where it supported Democratic challenger David Marstellar against GOP incumbent Rep. Jessie Rodriguez of Oak Creek in the 21st Assembly. Since the passage of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’s new legislative maps earlier in 2024, the 21st was viewed as more favorable to Democrats than Republicans. Nevertheless, Rodriguez won reelection.

The 61st Assembly where it backed returning Democratic candidate Lu Ann Bird against Rep. Bob Donovan. This was a rematch of their 2022 contest in the 84th Assembly. Donovan was moved into a new district by Gov. Evers's redistricting plan.

The 85th Assembly where Democrat Yee Leng Xiong challenged four-term GOP incumbent Rep. Patrick Snyder.

All three candidates supported by WFP National PAC lost.

Last active election: 2022

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on Restoration PAC

Posted: October 8, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

Restoration PAC is a super PAC registered with the Federal Elections Commission by the Foundation for the Restoration of America to make independent expenditures to support socially and economically conservative candidates. According to the foundation's own website, the organization considers "elite, Marxist neo-liberals" and "Communist China" to be the two greatest threats to the country. The principal funder of the organization in recent years has been Richard Uihlein, the founder of shipping supply business Uline and, along with his wife, a major financial player in Wisconsin politics. Another organization supported by Uihein, Fighting for Wisconsin, was involved in the 2022 Republican primary for governor.

Until 2022, Restoration PAC's involvement in Wisconsin politics had been limited to the federal level, specifically the 2016 and 2018 U.S. Senate elections. In spring 2022, the PAC reported spending nearly $82,000 in local, nonpartisan Green Bay elections.

The organization first reported making independent expenditures in 2024’s state legislative races four weeks before the November 5th election with $1.24 million going for television ads opposing the Democratic candidates in the 18th and 30th State Senate districts. Both seats were open as their Republican incumbents were drawn into new districts by Democratic Gov. Tony Ever’s legislative district maps passed earlier that year.

Despite $1.7 million spent by Resoration PAC, Democrats won both seats.

Last active election: 2022

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on Fight For Our Rights PAC

Posted: October 9, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

Fight For Our Rights PAC is a federally registered committee used by the Fight For Our Rights, a LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, to oppose anti-gay and anti-trans officials in state legislative elections nationwide. It was first active in Iowa’s 2022 state legislative elections. This is the first time it has reported spending in Wisconsin state elections.

Four weeks before the November 5th elections, the group reported spending over $33,300 for television and print advertising and mailers in two state assembly races to oppose two Republican incumbents, Rep. Shannon Zimmerman in the 30th and Rep. Amy Binsfeld in the 26th. Binsfeld was first elected to the 27th in 2022 but was placed in the 26th with the passage of new legislative district maps earlier in 2024. The bulk of this reported round of spending, about $25,900, opposed Zimmerman. He won reelection and Binsfeld lost.

The group later reported spending in two more contests, the 61st Assembly, where it opposed GOP Rep. Bob Donovan, and the 32nd Senate, where it supported Democratic incumbent Sen. Brad Pfaff. Like Binsfeld, Donovan was a first-term incumbent, having first been elected to the 84th in 2022, running in a new district after being displaced by redistricting. Pfaff was also seeking reelection for the first time. Zimmerman was the only candidate targeted by the committee to have served more than one term in the legislature as of 2024. Both Donovan and Pfaff won reelection.

Hijacking Campaign 2024 - Information on Women Vote

Posted: October 11, 2024
Updated: October 6, 2025

Fall: Oath • Spending

Women Vote is the federally registered independent expenditure committee run by Emily's List. The D.C.-based organization uses the committee to promote the election of Democratic, pro-choice, women candidates nationwide. Emily’s List last made independent expenditures in Wisconsin state elections when it supported Democratic candidate for governor Mary Burke in the 2014 fall election using a committee called Wisconsin Women Vote. During the 2011 legislative recall elections, Emily's List made independent expenditures through the similarly named Wisconsin WOMEN VOTE!

Less than four weeks before the November 5th general elections, Women Vote reported spending $150,000 for online advertising to oppose GOP Sens. Duey Stroebel and Joan Ballweg. At the time of the election, Stroebel represented the 20th Senate but was running in the 8th after being displaced by 2024's new legislative district maps. The 8th Senate was represented by a Republican elected in a 2023 special election, but he chose to run for an assembly seat over facing his more senior Republican colleague in a primary. Stroebel’s opponent was Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin, the loser in the 2023 special election. Ballweg, the incumbent in the 14th, faced Democratic challenger and newcomer Sarah Keyeski. Going into the election, most political observers believed the new legislative maps made Ballweg’s district more favorable to Democrats. The Democrats won both elections.

Last active election: 2014 (as Wisconsin WOMEN VOTE)

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