Hijacking Campaign 2026 | Campaign 2026

March 27, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

Based in Houston, Texas, Never Out of the Fight first registered with the state as an independent expenditure committee in March 2025, during the 2025 Wisconsin State Supreme election, although it reported no involvement in that race. This may be the same committee – cited in news articles as Never Out of the Fight PAC – associated with Wisconsin businessman and abortive Republican aspirant for governor Bill Berrien. As of this posting, Never Out of the Fight does not appear to have a website and is not registered federally. Despite its apparent Wisconsin ties, the committee’s Texas address is identical to that of Stand for America, an organization founded by 2024 GOP presidential hopeful and erstwhile South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. The organization raised over $1.6 million last year, mostly in the first half of 2025 and $1 million of that from just two contributors at $500,000 apiece, twin brothers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss of Winklevoss Capital. Early investors in cryptocurrencies, the brothers are most famous for suing Facebook.

Less than two weeks before the April 7th Wisconsin State Supreme Court election, the group first reported spending in the race with $100,000 going for online advertising to support Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar. A conservative, the Waukesha-based Lazar, faces her Dane County-based appeals court colleague Chris Taylor, a former Democratic state legislator, for an open seat on the state’s highest court. Lazar’s victory would maintain the officially nonpartisan court’s current ideological balance, while Taylor's would expand liberal control from four to five seats on the seven-member 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.

Hijacking Campaign 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: March 30, 2026
Updated: April 20, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

Based in Washington, D.C., Priorities USA Action is a federally registered independent expenditure committee operating as an unregistered express advocacy group in Wisconsin. It is connected to Priorities USA, an organization whose stated mission is to elect progressives to office at all levels of government nationwide. It supported the Biden and Harris campaigns for president in 2024, for examples.

The last Saturday in March, less than two weeks before the April 7th election, the committee first reported spending in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court race with over $54,200* going towards online advertising to oppose Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar and support her Court of Appeals colleague Chris Taylor. The day before, an ad appeared on YouTube credited jointly to Priorities USA Action and A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund. The ad contrasted Lazar's opposition to abortion rights with Taylor's support for the same. The ad concluded by urging a vote for Taylor.

Shortly after the first ad premiered, a shorter version appeared that attacks Lazar's for her opposition to abortion and concludes by telling the viewer to reject Lazar. The ad makes no mention of Taylor. This was also co-sponsored by A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund.

Four days before the election another ad co-sponsored with A Better Wisconsin Together Politcial Fund appeared on YouTube. In the ad, a bearded young man in a hat speaks to what appears to be a computer camera saying he intends to vote for Chris Taylor. He says she supports workers' rights, reproductive rights and health care.  Another commerical sponsored by the two groups features the same man once again addressing the camera. This time he goes into more depth about Taylor's past as a state legislator and former Planned Parenthood official once again stressing issues such as abortion and worker's rights.

The day of the election another ad co-sponsored with Priorities USA Action appeared on YouTube. The ad was presented as a phone video with a woman urging the viewer to vote for Taylor. Protecting abortion rights was the most prominent talking point.

Lazar and Taylor are contending for an open seat on the state’s highest court. A victory by Lazar, who is backed now, as in the past, by conservative groups, would maintain the officially nonpartisan court’s current ideological balance. The election of Taylor, a former Democratic state legislator backed by liberal groups, would see the liberal majority on the seven-member court expand from four to five seats.

*Revised from original posting to account for later amendment filed by the committee.

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: March 31, 2026
Updated: July 16, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

WEAC Region 2 PAC, formerly called Central Wisconsin UniServ Council, is the political action committee (PAC) for the branch of Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the state's largest teachers union, that represents teachers in north and central region of the state. WEAC and its various regional political action committees usually support Democratic candidates for legislative and statewide offices through outside electioneering activities and direct PAC.

Eight days before the April 7th Wisconsin State Supreme Court election, the group reported* it had spent nearly $126** on printing and mailing costs in the campaign. It supported Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor, a former Democratic state legislator, against conservative Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar for an open seat on the officially nonpartisan court. Liberal control of the seven-member court epanded from four to five seats with Taylor's victory in the April election.

Another WEAC branch had already reported spending in the race by the time WEAC Region 2 first reported its activity.

*The committee did not file the 72-hour independent expenditure report. This information was taken from the committee's 2026 Spring Pre-Election report.

** Revised per amendment.

Hijacking Campaign 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: March 31, 2026
Revised: April 15, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

Based in McFarland, Neighbor Voices PAC is a federally registered super PAC operating as an unregistered express advocacy committee in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court Election. According to the organization’s website, Neighbor Voices PAC “is a coalition dedicated to promoting social justice and civic engagement.” The committee’s treasurer is Mike Pfohl, founder of the Empower Project.

Eight days before the April 7th election, the group first reported it had spending nearly $20,000* for texts to support Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor, a former Democratic state legislator, against conservative Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar for an open seat on the officially nonpartisan high court. Liberal control of the officially nonpartisan seven-member court expanded from four to five seats with Taylor's victory.

**Revised from original posting on account of later amendment.

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: April 1, 2026
Updated: April 13, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Defend Our Courts was first organized to campaign on behalf of three Democratic justices up for reelection to that state’s supreme court in 2025, spending over $5 million that year. All three justices retained their seats. The group’s professed mission is to prevent a right-wing takeover of state courts and Wisconsin is just one of four states targeted by the organization in 2026, the others being Michigan, Kansas and Georgia. The group is operating as an unregistered express advocacy committee in Wisconsin. Defend Our Courts has a federally registered committee, but it has not reported any activity since it first registered in October 2025.

Defend Our Courts first reported spending in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election just a week before the April 7th election with more than $42,700 going towards phone banks to support Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor. Taylor faced Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar for an open seat on the officially nonpartisan court. A former Democratic state legislator, Taylor enjoyed support from the state Democratic party as well as independent backing from a host of liberal groups. Conversely, her opponent, who first gained her current position with substantial conservative independent support, was backed by Republicans and other conservative organizations. Taylor won the election expanding liberal control of the seven-member court from four to five seats.

The day of the election, the group reported spending over $21,100 for phones/texting. Three days after the election, it reported over another $20,300 for the same.

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: April 3, 2026
Updated: Augst 11, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending
Spring: Oath • Spending

This is an unregistered express advocacy 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. Between 2010 and 2024 Voces has reported making over $1.31 million in independent expenditures in Wisconsin state elections through at least three different independent expenditure committees, first with a fully registered state committee in 2010, and, then, after the GOP controlled legislature and Republican Gov. Scott Walker made it legal to do so, as an unregistered committee, starting in 2018. It routinely backs Democats and other liberal candidates.

Fall Election

Voces de La Frontera first reported independent spending in the fall 2026 partisan state elections on the last Monday of July, 15 days out from the August 11th primaries. It reported spending $72,750 for online advertising, campaign staff and office rent to support Democrats in seven races, two constitutional offices, one state senate, and four in the assembly.

In the first constitutional office race, it backs Rep. Francesca Hong in the Democratic primary for governor. Seven candidates appear on the ballot hoping to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, although two had already suspended their campaigns by the time Voces first reported spending. The other constiutional office off is secretary of state where it supports former state representative and current Milwaukee City alder Jocasta Zamarripa. Zamarripa faces no primary opposition for the open office currently held by Democrat Sarah Godlewski. Godlewski was appointed to the position by Gov. Evers when that office became vacant mid-term, and she is currently running for lieutenant governor without primary opposition.

There are no Democratic primaries in the 21st Senate or the 82nd Assembly both currently held by retiring Republicans. The Republican incumbent in the 21st Assembly is also stepping down, and there is a two-way Democratic primary for that seat. The last two races, the 8th and 9th Assembly districts, both feature primaries with Democratic incumbents facing challengers. In the 8th, Voces supports the challenger, Isamel Luna, while in the 9th it backs the incumbent, Rep. Priscilla Prado. All the Democrats backed by Voces face Republican opposition in November.

The day before the August primaries, it reported $10,000 for canvassing costs to support Luna in the 8th Assembly District and Hong for governor.

Spring Election

Voces first reported spending in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election just a five days before the April 7th election with $1,200* going towards campaign staff. It supports Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor who faces Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar for an open seat on the officially nonpartisan court. A former Democratic state legislator, Taylor is supported by state Democrats and a host of liberal independent spending groups. Her opponent, who first gained her current position with conservative independent support, is backed by Republicans and conservative groups. The election of Taylor would expand liberal control of the seven-member court from four to five seats.

At the end of April, the group reported it had spent about another $280 in the court race.

*Revised form orignal posting to account for a later amended report.

Last active election: 2025 as Voces de la Frontera Action Inc.

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

April 3, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

Organized in 2019, Blue Sky Waukesha, Inc. is a liberal leaning group based, as its name implies, in Waukesha County. It first made independent expenditures in the 2020 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election. Between 2020 and 2025, it reported spending about $177,700 on outside electioneering activities in state-level Wisconsin elections.

Blue Sky first reported spending in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election just five days before the April 7th election with over $6,300 for printing and postage costs. The group supports Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor against Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar for an open seat on state’s highest court. A former Democratic state legislator, Taylor is backed by state Democrats and liberal-leaning groups. Her opponent, who first gained her current position with substantial conservative independent support, is supported by state Republicans and other conservative organizations. The election of Taylor would expand liberal control of the seven-member, officially nonpartisan court from four to five seats.

Last active election: 2025

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: April 4, 2026
Updated: August 12, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending
Spring: Oath • Spending

Power to the Polls Action Fund first registered with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission to make independent expenditures in the 2023 spring and special elections at the end of February of that year. At that time, it operated from a Shorewood, Wisconsin address and was sponsored by Power to the Polls, Inc., a corporation then based in Shorewood as well, although the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions now shows a Chippewa Falls address for that corporation. Current registration materials filed with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission show that the committee currently operates from a Washington, D.C. address. 

Power to the Polls first made independent expenditures in the 2022 fall election with an unregistered committee operating under a slightly different name, Power to the Polls WI. The organization’s website lists as it partners various unions, including the aforementioned SEIU, and various liberal-leaning groups. Of the latter, one, Voces de la Frontera, was also active in the 2026 high court election. While Voces and Power the Polls backed the same candidate in the court race, they back different horses in at least one 2026 partisan race. Power the Polls has spent over $2.49 million between 2022 and 2025 in support of Democratic and liberal candidates.

Fall Election

Power to the Polls first reported spending in the 2026 fall state partisan elections five days before the August 11th primaries. It reported spending over $44,500 for canvassing and campaign literature in the gubernatorial race and two in the state assembly, the 8th and the 21st. In the governor’s race it opposes U.S. Congressman and Tom Tiffany. who won the Republican Party nomination in the primary. In the assembly races, the group supports the primary challenger to the Democratic incumbent in the 8th Assembly District and in the 21^st, where the Republican incumbent is retiring, it supports Democrat Dan Bukiewicz over his Democratic primary opponent, both of whom won their respective primaries. The winners of both Democratic primaries face Republicans in November. 

The day of the primaries, the group reported spending about $360 for various canvassing expenses in all the races mentioned above.

Spring Election

Power to the Polls Action Fund first reported independent expenditures in the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme court election the Friday before the April 7th election. It reported spending about $16,800 for campaign staff and literature to support Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor and to oppose fellow Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar. Taylor, a former Democratic state legislator, and Lazar, a conservative, were vying for an open seat on the officially nonpartisan court. Taylor won the election, expanding liberal control on the seven-member body from four to five seats.

The day of the election, the group reported spending over $8,800, mostly for campaign staff wages.

Last active election: 2025

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

April 13, 2026

Spring: Oath • Spending

Based in Milwaukee, North Shore Red is a new organization that first registered to make independent expenditures in mid-March 2026. Although it has no official party affiliation, it was formed as a successor to the North Shore branch of the Republican Party of Milwaukee when the county party dissolved all its local branches and appropriated their funds in 2025. North Shore Red operates as 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization and works independently of the Republican party to promote conservative causes and candidates.

The committee first reported independent spending in the Wisconsin State Supreme Court election two days after the April 7th election with about $2,800 going toward phone calls or texts to support the conservative candidate in the race, Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar. Lazar faced another Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge, Chris Taylor, a former Democratic state legislator, for an open seat on the state’s highest court. Taylor won the election, expanding liberal control of the officially nonpartisan seven-member court from four to five seats.

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 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: June 22, 2026
Updated: August 5, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

This is a group created in 2003 by David and Charles Koch, the billionaire owners of Koch Industries and Wisconsin-based papermaker Georgia-Pacific. Americans for Prosperity first got involved in Wisconsin state politics through the medium of "issue ads" in 2006 and first reporting independent expenditures in 2018. It operates as an unregistered indpendent expenditure committee, meaning it is not legally obligated to report its sources of income to the state. It only has to report independent expenditures made 60 days before a primary or general election and does not have to report any spending made outside that interval. Between 2010 and 2024 the group spent over $25.3 million on issue ads and independent expenditures combined to influence Wisconsin state elections.

The group first reported spending in the 2026 fall gubernatorial election, in mid June with over $450,000 spent on dgital adverting, canvassing and doorhanger production in support of Republican U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany's bid to replace retiring Democratic Governor Tony Evers. A few days later it reported spending over another $150,000 for more of the the same.

The first Friday in July, Americans for Prosperity reported spending over another $600,000 for canvassing and digital ads in support of Tiffany.

A member the far-right House Freedom Caucus, Tiffany enjoys the endorsement of the President Donald Trump and faces only token oppostion in the August 11th Republican primary from political newcomer Andy Manske. Meanwhile, seven Democrats were originally vying for their party's nomination, although two of them suspended their campaigns by mid-July.

Towards the end of the second week in July, Americans for Prosperity reported spending another $8,400 for digital ad production to support Tiffany. It also reported splitting about another $100,000 for canvassing and campaign literature to support Republicans in two state senate races, incumbent Sen. Howard Marklein of the 17^th State Senate in south-west Wisconsin and Mike Roberts in suburban Milwaukee’s 5th Senate. Political observers consider Marklein’s district to be more Democratic after the passage of new district maps in 2024. Roberts faces Democrat State Rep. Robyn Vining for the open suburban Milwaukee seat, currently held by GOP Sen. Rob Hutton. The 5th Senate is also regarded as leaning more Democratic now.

A day later, the second Friday in July, the group reported spending over another $300,000 on digital ads, campaign literature and canvassing to support Republicans in two more state senate races, the 11th and the 31st, and four in the assembly, the 30th, 61st,  88th and the 92nd. The four assembly districts are currently held by Republicans, all of whom face Democratic challengers. The 11th Senate is an open seat where long-time incumbent Sen. Steve Nass is retiring. In that race, Americans for Prosperity supports former state Rep. Ellen Schutt in a three-way primary. The winner of that primary faces Democratic opposition in November. The 31st State Senate is currently held by a Democrat, Sen. Jeff Smith, who won his last election in 2022 by less than one percentage point. His Republican opponent, Michele Skinner, who ran for the state assembly in 2024, is unopposed in the primary.

The second Monday in July, Americans for Prosperity reported spending $41,000 more for digital ad production and placement in the four state assembly races mentioned in the preceding paragraph. A few days later it reported spending $1,800 for digital ad production in support of Tiffany.

The third Monday, in July, about three weeks out from the August primary, the committee reported spending nearly $49,000 for doorhanger production, canvassing and digital ad production across seven races, the governor, five in the senate and two in the assembly. Two of the contests are new to independent spending this year, the 21^st Senate and the 89^th Assembly. The former race is an open seat long held by GOP Sen. Van Wanggaard while the latter features a first-term Democratic incumbent. There is no primary in either district.

About three weeks out from the primaries, it reported spending another $2,500 for digital ad production to support Schutt.

The last Sunday in July, it reported spending a further $58,000 for digital ads supporting Republicans in the 21st Senate and the 89th Assembly.

Eight days before the primaries, it reported spending $700,000 for digital ads supporting Tiffany for governor. The next day, with just a week to go, it reported spending over $22,500 on canvassing and doorhangers in four state senate races- the 5th, 17th, 21st and the 31st - and five in the state assembly, the 30th, 61st, 88th, 89th and the 92nd. The committee had already reported spending in all those races earlier.

Last active election: 2025

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.