2020 Legislative Races Cost Record-Smashing $53.9M+
February 11, 2021
Spending by candidates and special interest smear groups in the 2020 legislative elections tallied a record-smashing $53.9 million.
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Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's press releases and special reports cover issues central to our mission, including campaign fundraising, political corruption and more.
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Special Interest Group Spending Tops $300K in Spring Races
February 10, 2021
Five special interest groups have spent more than $300,000 as of Wednesday morning in three races on the spring ballot.
Top Contributors in 2021 to the Candidates for State School Superintendent
February 9 , 2021
Here are the top contributors between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1 to the seven candidates running for state school superintendent in next Tuesday’s primary. (Top contributors from the previous reporting period are here.)
Wisconsin Legislative Campaign Committees Spent Record $12.11M in 2020
January 28, 2021
Four fundraising committees used by legislative leaders to milk special interests for campaign cash spent a record $12.11 million in the 2020.
Evers Raises More Than $3.8M, Over Half From State Party in 2020
January 26, 2021
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers raised more than $3.8 million in 2020, with more than half of it coming from the state Democratic Party.
State Dem Party Raised Nearly 2.5x More Than State GOP in ‘20
January 21, 2021
The state Democratic Party raised more than $23.6 million last year, nearly 2.5 times more than the $9.8 million accepted by the state GOP.
Top Contributors to the Candidates for State School Superintendent
Posted: January 19, 2021
Updated: February 10, 2021
Seven candidates who want to be the state’s next top school chief in the upcoming spring elections collectively raised more than $200,000 last year.
Wisconsin Backers of GOP Group That Promoted January 6 Event
January 14, 2021
Wisconsin businesses and individuals contributed about $279,000 over the past three years to a Republican electioneering group that helped organize a protest that turned into a deadly mob attack at the U.S. Capitol last week.
Powerful Special Interests Behind Lawsuit Immunity in Republican Covid ‘Relief’ Bill
January 6, 2021
The state’s most powerful special interest business and trade groups support a Republican bill that would give businesses broad immunity from lawsuits brought by customers and employees who contract covid-19 even if businesses don’t follow public health guidelines.
GOP Lawmakers Bow to WMC in Weakening Clean Water Rule
December 21, 2020
Bowing to pressure from Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), Republican lawmakers have neutered a proposed state rule to prevent so-called “forever chemicals” linked to cancer and other health problems from contaminating drinking water.
Don't Trash the Vote!
December 10, 2020
Letter from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign urging the chairs of the Wisonsin State Senate and State Assembly committees on elections to stand up for democracy during the December 11th joint informational hearing (speakers by invitation only) on the 2020 presidential election.
Letter to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Legal Challenges to Redistricting
November 20, 2020
Letter from the Wisconsin Democracy's Campaign executive director opposing The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty's petition requesting that legal challenges to redistricting bypass federal courts and go directly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Justice Hears Case by Major Donor Opposing Governor’s Pandemic Actions
November 16, 2020
Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley heard arguments Monday in a lawsuit brought by a major campaign donor challenging the governor’s authority to issue successive public health orders amid the covid-19 pandemic.
Electioneering Groups Spent Nearly $9.9M on Legislative Races
November 12, 2020
More than two dozen special interest groups doled out nearly $9.9 million on outside electioneering activities in this fall’s legislative elections, a preliminary review by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign found.
State Parties, Legislative Fundraising Committees Hit Up Large Donors in the Homestretch
November 3, 2020
The major state parties and four legislative fundraising committees raised $3.3 million from contributions of $1,000 or more in the past two weeks with Democrats raising more than twice as much as Republicans.
Outside Election Spending Totals $8.3M
November 3, 2020
Spending on legislative races by outside electioneering groups totaled $8.3 million as of Tuesday morning and Democratic groups have spent nearly twice as much as GOP groups.
Dems Lead as Outside Election Spending Tops $8.2M
November 2, 2020
Outside election spending on legislative races topped $8.2 million as of Monday morning as Democratic groups continued to spend far more than Republican groups.
GOP Groups Far Behind Dem Groups in Outside Spending
October 30, 2020
Democratic electioneering group spending continued to soar above GOP group spending in the November legislative elections as total spending neared $8 million as of Friday morning.
Outside Groups Escalate Spending Against GOP Speaker Vos
October 26, 2020
Outside election spending has skyrocketed in the past week against GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in the wake of an investigative report that portrayed the Foxconn project he helped spearhead as a boondoggle.
Dem Groups Swamping GOP Groups in Legislative Election Spending
October 21, 2020
Democratic groups are swamping GOP groups in outside spending on the November legislative elections as total spending topped $6 million as of Wednesday morning.
Outside Groups for Dems Outspending GOP Groups in Wisconsin
October 16, 2020
Outside electioneering groups have spent more than $4.7 million as of Friday morning in this fall’s legislative races and groups backing Democratic candidates have sharply outspent their Republican counterparts.
Outside Election Spending Tops $3M in Legislative Races
October 9, 2020
Spending totaled about $3.1 million and was dead even as of Friday morning between Democratic and GOP outside electioneering groups in this fall’s legislative races, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign review found.
Outside Election Spending Nears $2.3M in Legislative Races
October 2, 2020
GOP groups spent slightly more than Democratic groups as outside election spending in this fall’s legislative races neared $2.3 million as of Friday morning, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign review found.
Republican Legislative Candidates Hold Sharp Money Lead
September 30, 2020
Democratic legislative candidates raised about $1.9 million more than Republican candidates during the first eight months of the year, but GOP candidates had sharply more money in their campaign accounts two months before the November elections, recent campaign finance reports show.
Koch Group Leads Outside Spending in Wisconsin Legislative Races
September 15, 2020
About a dozen outside electioneering groups have spent nearly $613,000 so far on the November legislative races, according to a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign tally.