February 10, 2021
Five special interest groups have spent more than $300,000 as of Wednesday morning in three races on the spring ballot.
In the so-called “nonpartisan” statewide race for state school superintendent, A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund, a group that usually backs Democratic candidates in partisan contests, has dropped $78,210 on digital ads to support candidate Jill Underly.
Underly is one of seven candidates for the state’s top education post. The top two finishers in next week’s spring primary go on to the April 6 ballot. The incumbent state school superintendent, Carolyn Stanford Taylor, who was appointed to fill the position in January 2019 by Democratic Governor Tony Evers, is not seeking election.
Two special elections are on the spring ballot to fill vacant seats in the state legislature.
In far northeastern Wisconsin’s 89th Assembly District, the Wisconsin Realtors Association has spent $150,000 on direct mail, and radio and digital ads to support Republican Michael Kunesh, of Marinette. Another group, Wisconsinites for Liberty Fund, spent $20,000 on texting and mailings to oppose Republican Debbie Jacques, of Green Bay.
Kunesh and Jacques are among five Republicans facing off in next Tuesday’s spring primary. The top finisher goes on to the April 6 ballot to face Democrat Karl Jaeger. The special election was called to coincide with the spring election after GOP Rep. John Nygren, of Marinette, quit shortly after being reelected last November and became a lobbyist.
Another special election in the 13th Senate District has drawn outside spending from two GOP groups ahead of a three-way Republican primary on Tuesday.
The Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity has dropped about $41,600 on mailings, canvassing and digital ads to support Republican Rep. John Jagler, of Watertown. The Republican State Leadership Committee spent $27,000 on mailings and radio ads to back Jagler.
The winner of the GOP primary in the 13th Senate race will face Democrat Melissa Winker, of Oconomowoc, and Independents Spencer Zimmerman and Ben Schmitz in the April 6 general election. A special election was scheduled after the incumbent, Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2020 elections.