Hijacking Campaign 2026 | Campaign 2026

Posted: June 29, 2026
Updated; July 30, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Impossible Until It's Done first registered with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission to make independent expenditures in state level elections in early March 2026. The organization’s registered Madison address, like so many other independent expenditure committees before it, coincides with that of a UPS store. Its Indianapolis-based treasurer, Marilyn Johnson, is the founder of Left Field Compliance, a consulting firm that provides administrative and campaign finance related services to Democratic parties and candidates.

Taking its name from a quote generally attributed to the late South African president and political activist Nelson Mandela, the committee appropriately backs his namesake, Democrat Mandela Barnes for governor. Barnes, who had previously served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and as lieutenant governor is one of seven Democrats appearing on the primary ballot, although two of those, Missy Hughes and Lt. Gov Sara Rodriguez have suspended their campaigns. Barnes’s remaining opponents include two sitting state legislators, Rep. Francesca Hong and Sen. Kelda Roys, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. The winner of the August 11th primary will face either Tom Tiffany or Andy Manske, the two contestants in the Republican primary, in the November general election. More than likely the GOP nominee will be Tiffany, a current U.S. congressman and a former state legislator, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.

The last Saturday in June, the committee first reported spending with more than $179,000 going towards digital ads in support of Barnes.

At the end of the second week in July, the group reported spending just over $112,000 to buy television advertising to support Barnes.

In mid-July, it reported over another $335,000 for television and online advertising to back Barnes.

The third Monday in July, about three weeks from the August primary, the group reported spending nearly $115,000 for a TV ad buy to support Barnes.

Thirteen before the August 11th primary, it reported spending another $231,700 for television ad production and air buys.

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

Posted: July 14, 2026
Updated: August 12, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

CFC PAC is an independent expenditure committee run by the Milwaukee-based City Forward Collective (CFC) whose self-professed mission is to ensure that all Milwaukee students have access to high-quality schools, a mission which includes support for charter schools. CFC PAC first registered with the state in February 2025 and supported challenger Brittany Kinser in that spring's election for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, an officially nonpartisan election. The group has a conduit that has made contributions to both Republican and Democrats but has tended to favor the former.

The second Monday in July, CFC PAC first reported spending $10,000 for online advertising to support two Milwaukee Democratic incumbents, Rep. Sylvia Ortiz- Velez of the 8th Assembly and Rep. Priscilla Prado of the 9th. Both face challengers in the August 11th Democratic primary and, should they win, will face Republican opposition in the November 3rd general election.

The third weekend in July, the PAC reported spending a $1,000 for newpaper ads supporting Prado and Ortiz-Velez.

A week before the primary, it reported spending nearly $8,300 for mailers backing Prado and Ortiz-Velez.

The group first reported spending in the Democratic primary for governor just four days before the August 11th election. It reported spending over $99,150 for a mailer to support Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley is one of seven candidates on the Democratic primary ballot seeking to replace outgoing Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers, although three had already dropped out of the race by August.

The day before the August primary, it reported spending $3,000 for online advertising to oppose Rep. Francesca Hong in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

The day of the primary, CFC PAC reported spending over $2,200 for phone calls/texts and newspaper ads to support the incumbents in the 8th and 9th Assembly District Democratic primaires. It also reported spending about $220 for phone calls/texts to support the challenger in the 12th Assembly District Democratic primary. With the exception of Ortiz-Velez in the 8th, the incumbents won. 

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

Posted: July 16, 2026
Updated: August 22, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Based in Florida, Restoration of America PAC* first registered with the state under the name Restoration PAC to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin elections in mid-March 2025 during the middle of the hotly contested Wisconsin State Supreme Court election where it spent a relatively modest $12,500. This is just one of several independent expenditure committees that have been active in Wisconsin over the years that have been financed by Richard Uihlein, the founder of shipping supply business Uline. Uihlein and his wife Elizabeth are both major contributors to Republicans and conservative candidates in the state. Before 2025, Restoration PAC previously operated as an unregistered committee in earlier Wisconsin elections starting in 2022.

Restoration of America PAC is also the name of a super PAC – also named Restoration PAC until recently- 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 has been the aforementioned Richard Uihlein.

Although the committee reported receiving no income since March 2025 and then showed a cash balance of $0, it still reported spending nearly $2.8 million for television advertising to support U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany for governor. The Trump-endorsed member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus faces only token opposition in the August 11th Republican primary from political newcomer Andy Manske. By the end of June, Tiffany enjoyed a cash balance exceeding $2.9 million while his primary opponent only had about $1,300 on hand. Meanwhile, with the retirement of Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers, seven candidates appear on the Democratic primary ballot, although two of them have already dropped out of the race.

Within a few days of filing its initial report, an ad backing Tiffany appeared on YouTube. The ad starts with a picture of John F. Kennedy along with the statement that this is not your parents' "Democrat Party." Alongside pictures of various Democratic politicians, mostly non-white and women, it accuses Democrats of hating America and attacks them on issues of immigration and Trans rights. The ad was attributed to Restoration of America PAC in its disclaimer before it started reporting under that name.

Less than three weeks before the primaries, it reported spending nearly $85,000 for mailings to support Tiffany. This was the first time it reported under the name Restoration of America PAC. At the same time, the committee also reported spending over $8,500 in the Kenosha County sheriff race, which, as a county office, is not tracked by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

Eight days before the August primary, the group reported spending about another $45,200 for mailing costs to support Tiffany. It also spent over $7,000 for the same in the Kenosha County sheriff race.

The day before the primaries, it reported spending $7,000 for phone calls or texts to back Tiffany and $700 for the same in the Kenosha County sheriff contest.

Three days after the primaries, the committee reported spending over another $4 million for television ads to oppose Democratic primary winner Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in the November 3rd election for governor. An ad appearing on YouTube makes the claim that all "Wisconsin residents" but one, "Milwaukee Taxman" David Crowley, hate to pay taxes. The ad goes on to claim that Crowley raised sales and property taxes in Milwaukee County and would support a "400 year" property tax in Wisconsin. 

Ten days after the primaries, the group reported spending over $477,600 for canvassing and campaign literature to support Tiffany in the governor's race.

*This committee first reported spending in the fall 2026 election campaign under its old name, Restoration PAC, only using the name Restoration of America PAC later. Despite the fact that it was already registered as Restoration PAC, Restoration of America PAC operated as an unregistered independent expenditure committee during the 2026 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election. As such, it was not required to divulge its funding sources. In order to differentiate the registered committee, which has been required to reports its income sources since 2025, from that one, and for technical reasons involving site navigation, the name Restoration PAC will still be used for the title of this page and in the independent expenditure database during this election.

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

July 16, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Fair Wisconsin advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights and fairness policies in Wisconsin. The organization first formed a state political action committee (PAC) to make independent expenditures in the 2007 Supreme Court Elections in support of Linda Clifford following its formation as a referendum group in 2006 to campaign against the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions in Wisconsin. The state PAC last made independent expenditures in the 2010 partisan elections. Later, it operated as a state-registered independent expenditure committee in the 2014 and 2018 fall elections, the latter the last time it was active in state-level elections.

Fair Wisconsin Federal PAC is a federally registered committee operating as an unregistered committee in the state. This means it is only required to report independent expenditures made within 60 days of an election and does not have to report its sources of income to the state or any other financial activity.

In mid-July, Fair Wisconsin Federal PAC first reported spending in the Wisconsin fall elections, with about $46,200 for online advertising and mailing costs to support two candidates in the August 11^th Democratic primaries, Jordan Roman who is challenging the incumbent in the 12^th Assembly, and Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford who is in a five-way race to fill the open 76^th Assembly.  The winner of the former primary will be unopposed in the November 3^rd election, while the winner of the latter faces Republican opposition in the heavily Democratic Madison district.

Last active election: 2018 as Fair Wisconsin, 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

Posted: July 17, 2026
Updated: August 1, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

This state political action committee (PAC) is used by the national Republican Governors Association (RGA) to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin elections.

The RGA raises and spends millions of dollars each year to elect Republican governors throughout the country. Right Direction PAC spent over $32.7 million between 2010 and 2022 to do just that in Wisconsin.

Right Direction PAC first reported spending in mid-July with over $3.1 million going toward online and television advertising to oppose Democratic candidate for governor state Rep. Francesca Hong. Hong is one of seven candidates appearing on her party’s August 11^th primary ballot with the retirement of Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony  Evers. The ad describes Hong as "too liberal for Wisconsin" and criticizes her for wanting to return Wisconsin to its "progressive roots" with an emphasis on her oppostion to I.C.E. and President Trump's immigration policies.

About three weeks before the primary, the group reported another $1,500 for web development as part of its efforts against Hong. A day later, it reported nearly another $406,000 against Honk, the bulk of that going towards television advertising production and placement.

The last Friday in July, Right Direction reported spending over $9,000 for TV production costs to oppose Hong.

Whoever wins the Democratic primary will likely face U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany, the clear frontrunner in the two-way Republican primary, in November. A member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, Tiffany enters the primary with the endorsement of President Trump and nearly $3 million in cash vs only $1,300 for his primary opponent.

The RGA has also used other instruments to meet its electoral goals. In 2018 it supplemented Right Direction PAC’s independent spending with a second PAC, ACC Wisconsin PAC, and did the same in 2022 with ACC Wisconsin PAC 2022. It has also sponsored “issue ads,” both under its own name, last in 2010, and in the guise of a separate corporation, State Solutions, Inc., in 2022.

Last active election: 2022

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: July 20, 2026
Updated: August 10, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Middle Class Priorities is a new independent expenditure committee that first registered with the state of Wisconsin in July of this year. According to its website, which consists of a scant three pages, the committee advocates for lower prices, better wages and jobs, and improved healthcare. Other than that, not much is known about the organization. The website was first registered in March of this year, and its registration expires after only a year. There is no information available as to who owns the site. The committee's first campaign finance report filed with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission shows that its sole funder to date is a Nebraska-based organization called Progressive Prosperity Caucus, Inc. The group has a one page website that provides no useful information about the organization. Reports have claimed that Progressive Prosperity may be a Republican Party front-group that tries to skew Democratic primaries in favor of candidates who cannot win in the general election.

The group’s registered physical address is identical to that of a Pack N Ship store in Milwaukee. This is not atypical. Many independent expenditure committees, especially those which spring up for one election than disappear, report mailing addresses that coincide with those of such establishments. The group registered with the federal government in May of this year, but the only report on file as of July shows no income, no disbursements, and no cash. Since it only filed with the state this July, it is not required to file a full campaign finance report with the identity of its donors until eight days before the primary on August 11. Despite its state address, the organization is not currently registered with the Wisconsin State Dept. of Financial Institutions as a corporation.

The third weekend of July, the group reported spending over $421,000 for television ads to support Rep. Francesca Hong of the 76th Assembly for governor. Hong is one of seven candidates on the Democratic primary ballot for governor, as the incumbent, Democrat Gov. Tony Evers, is not seeking reelection. A few days before the group reported this spending, a couple of different ads started appearing on YouTube. One emphasized Hong’s support for education and the other her plans for making health care more accessible and affordable. Presumably, these ads, despite appearing online, are included in the reported $421,000 expenditure for television advertising.

The last Saturday in July, less than three weeks before the August 11th primary, Middle Class Priorities reported spending nearly another $300,000 for mailers (and possibly billboards) to support Hong.  Moreover, it may have only spent half that, as it looks at though it may have duplicated expenditures in the report.

Nine days before the primary, it reported spending over a quarter of million dollars for televsion ad buys in support of Hong. Five days before the primary, it reported about another $299,500 for more mailers (and again, maybe billboards) to back Hong.

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

July 23, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Badger Action Project first registered with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission to make independent expenditures in state elections in June 2026. Next to nothing is known about the organization. Its registered Shorewood, Wisconsin address is identical to that of a corporation called Badger Action Alliance, Inc. which was first formed in March this year. That address also matches that of a UPS store. Many independent expenditure committees share addresses with such establishments.

The most recent campaign finance report filed by the committee showed it only raised $100 in the first six months of the year and had a cash balance of the same at the end of June. Despite that, about three weeks before the August 11^th primary, it reported spending $12,000 for online advertising to support Joel Brennan, one of seven candidates on the Democratic primary ballot for governor as incumbent Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is not seeking reelection. The group filed its first spending reports about five days after WisPolitics first wrote up its advertising, which you can view here.

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

July 23, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

This is an independent expenditure committee with a Pewaukee address that first sponsored electioneering activities in Wisconsin in 2021 when the group dropped $20,000 to successfully oppose one of five Republican candidates in a primary for the 89th Assembly special election. The group later spent over $407,000 in the 2022 fall elections where the bulk of its spending was devoted to defending Assembly Speaker Robin Vos against a challenger in the Republican primary. In 2024, all its spending went towards successfully supporting Vos’s reelection campaign.

The most recent campaign financial report filed with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission showed it had no cash at the end of June. It had raised about $16,300 in the first six months of 2026 but all of that went towards independent expenditures in local spring elections. All of the committee’s income by that point came from a single source, an Appleton-based organization called Midwest Growth Inc. According to Influence Watch, Midwest Growth's president is former Wisconsin State Treasurer Cathy Zeuske. She is married to former state legislator and current state-registered lobbyist John Gard.

About three weeks before the August 11^th primaries, the group reported spending over $122,600 for online advertising and mailing costs in four Republican primaries, one in the senate, the 1^st, and three in the state assembly, the 37^th, the 58^th and the 74^th. In the senate race, it supports Katie Baney, one of four Republicans running for that open seat. The winner of that primary will only face independent opposition in the November election. In two of the assembly races, the 37^th and the 74^th, the committee supports the incumbent, each of whom faces a single GOP challenger. Finally, it supports Christopher Bossert in a two-way race for the Republican nomination in the open 58th district. The winners of the assembly primaries will face Democratic opposition in November.

Last active election: 2024

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: July 25, 2026
Updated: August 14, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Believe in Wisconsin first registered with the state to make independent expenditures in September 2025, the same time it registered the web domain “believeinwisconsin.com” for a year’s duration, although it does not appear to have an active website as of this writing. According to reports filed with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission, between the time it first registered and June, it only raised $110 explaining that lack. Its sole contributor to that point was political consultant Thad Nation. The committee’s registered address in Grafton, like that of so many other such groups, matches that of a UPS store. The group’s registration materials show it is sponsored by Wisconsin Future Rising, Inc., an organization also active as an issue ad group in the 2026 fall election.

At the end of the third week in July, less than three weeks before the August 11th primaries, the group reported spending $200,000 for a television ad backing Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley for the Democratic nomination for governor. The ad touts his endorsement by outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and says he will stand up to President Trump and data centers. Crowley is just one of seven candidates on the Democratic primary ballot, although not all of them still have active campaigns.

The last Friday in July, the committee reported spending $125,000 for television advertising to support Crowley.

A week from the primary, it reported spending another $624,000 for television ads backing Crowley.

Two days before the primary, the committee reported spending another $170,000 for television and digital ads touting Crowley. The newest ad starts with Gov Tony Evers announcing an "urgent message" and then goes on to call Crowley the best Democrat to stop President Trump, lower costs, stop data centers and touts his endorsement by Evers, unions, and Wisconsin's mayors. 

Two days after the primary, it reported that it had spent $20,000 on phone calls/texts the day before the primary to support Crowley.

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: July 27, 2026
Updated: August 1, 2026

Fall: Oath • Spending

Democracy, Freedom Equality Now first registered with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin state elections in June 2026. The group's address, like so many other independent expenditure committees, matches that of a UPS store, this particular store in Monona. The most recent campaign finance report filed by the committee shows it raised $101 in June – all of that from its treasurer - and finished the month with just that much cash on hand.

The committee filed its first spending report on the last Sunday in July, just over two weeks from the August 11th primary elections. It spent $80,00 for online advertising to support State Sen. Kelda Roys in the Democratic primary for governor. With the retirement of Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers, there are seven candidates for governor on the Democratic primary ballot, although two of those have already suspended their campaigns.

Three days after it first reported spending, the group reported another $100,000 for online advertising to back Roys.

The last Friday in July, the committee reported spending $20,000 on consulting fees in support of Roys.

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.