Who Are Donors in Superintendent Race?
Evers backed by unions, Democrats, his opponents by Republicans.
American Cash by Psychonaught. Photo of money
Here are the top contributors since Jan. 1 to the three candidates vying for state school superintendent in next Tuesday’s spring primary. (Top contributors from the previous reporting period can be found here.)
The top two finishers in the primary will move on to the April 4 general election to face off for a four-year term. The incumbent, Tony Evers, was first elected in 2009, and reelected in 2013. Evers faces John Humphries, a former Dodgeville School District administrator, and Lowell Holtz, a former superintendent for the Beloit and Whitnall school districts.
Evers is generally supported by Democrats and Humphries and Holtz are generally backed by Republicans, even though spring elections are officially nonpartisan. Both Holtz and Humphries support the state’s school voucher programs, but Evers believes the voucher programs drain state support from public schools.
Top Contributions to DPI candidate Tony Evers since Jan. 1
Tony Evers.
American Federation of Teachers Wisconsin PAC, $18,000
WEAC PAC, $18,000
American Federation of Teachers #212 PAC, $10,000
Herb Kohl, of Milwaukee, retired Democratic U.S. senator, $5,000
John C. Miller, of Kohler, retired chairman of Miller St. Nazianz, $5,000
John W. Miller, of Cedarburg, retired president of Miller St. Nazianz, $3,000
Top Contributions to DPI candidate Lowell Holtz since Jan. 1
Lowell Holtz. Photo from Facebook.
Richard Uihlein, of Lake Forest, Ill., owner of Uline Corp., $5,000
Dan Hartung, of Madison, owner of Hartung Brothers Fertilizer, $5,000
Dennis Kuester, of Milwaukee, retired M&I Bank chairman, $5,000
Patrick English, of Wauwatosa, president of Fiduciary Management, $4,000
Terrence Wall, of Madison, owner of T. Wall Properties, $2,500
Paul Schierl , of Green Bay, president of the Cornerstone Foundation of NE Wisconsin, $2,500
Eric Hovde, of Madison, owner of Hovde Financial, $2,000
Donald Utschig, of Appleton, retired owner of Limelite Premium Fusion Beverage, $2,000
1st Congressional District Republican Party, $2,000
Top Contributions to DPI candidate John Humphries since Jan. 1
John Humphries. Photo courtesy of Humphries for Schools.
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, $10,000
Michael Mahoney, of Mequon, Park Bank chairman, $1,000
Kathryn Burke, of Milwaukee, owner of Burke Properties, $1,000
Lisa Mauer, of Wauwatosa, owner of Blackhawk Tool Service, $1,000
Grace Gunnlaugsson, of Chenequa, retired, $1,000
Ted Kellner, of Milwaukee, chairman of Fiduciary Management, $1,000
Betty Jo Nelsen, of Oconomowoc, retired GOP legislator, $1,000
LaVonne Zietlow, of Onalaska, owner of Kwik Trip, $1,000
The employer information for these large donors was added by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign because new campaign finance laws effective last year no longer require candidates to make that contributor information available to the public. Previous state law required candidates to identify the employers and occupations of individuals who contributed more than $100 annually. Now, candidates only have to identify a large contributor’s occupation, which usually amounts to meaningless references, such as owner, president, or executive.
To view how much the candidates have raised and spent, as well as the candidates’ top contributors for the entire election cycle, please visit the Campaign 2017 feature on the Democracy Campaign’s website or you can go here for top contributors from the previous reporting period.
Matthew Rothschild is executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
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I believe Ms. Nelson now lives in Milwaukee at St. John’s on the Lake.
John Humphries currently pulling a whopping 6% of the vote tonight.
Way to go MMAC and Kwik Trip! You too, Gus Ramirez at HUSCO- we know you were the guy working to set up the czar of the urban schools. You guy sure know how to pick em!
And if that doesn’t show you how little those oligarchs know about reality, and how little they care about making a better Wisconsin, then nothing does.
That’s right Jake, unlike the unions altruistic support of Evers and their desire solely to create a better Wisconsin.
Who are the undisclosed “business leaders” who wanted to put up the bribe; $150K etc.?
Good question Ron. Just like I wonder who Holtz is talking about when he said outside groups would run his campaign for him.
Probably the same MMAC-type geniuses whose leadership put Milwaukee dead last among large metros for job growth in 2016. You seriously could fire Tim Sheehy and the MMAC Board of Directors and replace them with 10 people off the street and our economy would do better.
And yes AG, you’re damned right I trust teachers over self-absorbed corporates when it comes to education. Did you see how big Tony won statewide? Looks like the real Wisconsin supports its public schools like Dane County does. You know, the same Dane County that’s responsible for more than 50% of Wisconsin’s private sector jobs in the last 15 years?
Maybe we should follow those people in Madtown, and not the oligarchs at the MMAC. Whatcha think?
Fortunately, the Superintendent role at this point is nearly ceremonial with little impact. Legislative changes are where the ‘rubber meets the road,’ as the budgetary authority rests there. Act 10 was the last real positive game-changer. That’s why there isn’t more Conservative effort and enthusiasm behind this fight… The actual significance of the position is minimal.
It’s a little perplexing to see conservatives rally around Holtz, who donated to Barrett when he ran for governor against Walker and did a full flip-flop on Common Core. Did he simply promise to do whatever they say and not ever think for himself?
Wait Jake, first you tell me how evil corporations are, then you tout private sector jobs as being a good thing?
The amount of those donations completely contradict you WashCoRepub. Conservatives are not exactly sitting this one out.
AG- Established corporations rarely add much for jobs, small businesses and entrepreneurs do.
Jeez, and you wonder why this state lags with WisGOPs like you in charge? Both in the backwards business mentality and in the lack of desire to generate new talent by investing in education. Just like MMAC’s bet on Humphries- A TOTAL FAIL.