Groups Spend $32.4 Million On Election!
New mid-term record, old mark was $18.9 million. Republicans have 2-1 edge in outside group spending.
Cash. (CC0 Creative Commons).
This is a list of the record-breaking spending by independent expenditure groups in Wisconsin in this election, as of Nov. 1. Most of the spending has been for the governor’s race and the race for attorney general. Almost all of the rest has been for state senate and state assembly seats.
Independent expenditure groups favoring Republicans have outspent those favoring Democrats by more than 2 to 1: $21,851,000 to $10,394,000 (rounded to the nearest thousand).
The total amount — $32,245,000 – shatters the previous record $18,908,000 set in 2014.
Independent expenditure groups, also known as “express advocacy” groups, use the magic words “vote for” or “vote against” or their equivalents in their advertising and mailings.
You can click on the name of each group below to learn more about it.
Here’s a short ID for the top 10.
Americans for Prosperity is the Koch Brothers’ main group.
Right Direction Wisconsin PAC is a Republican Governors Association group.
ACC Wisconsin PAC is another Republican Governors Association group.
Wisconsin Freedom PAC is a Republican Attorneys General group.
DAGA WI is a Democratic Attorneys General group.
Greater Wisconsin is the biggest Democratic outside group in the state.
Wisconsin Conservation Voters is a Democratic-leaning outside group.
American Federation for Children is Betsy DeVos’s school voucher group.
NRA Political Victory Fund is a branch of the gun group.
For Our Future is a Democratic outside group.
Independent Expenditure Committees in the Fall Election
Reported Spending Through October 31, 2018
| Committee | Spent |
|---|---|
| Americans for Prosperity | $6,286,670.74 |
| Right Direction Wisconsin PAC (RGA Wisconsin) | $6,212,550.95 |
| ACC Wisconsin PAC | $3,461,859.27 |
| Wisconsin Freedom PAC | $2,713,948.55 |
| DAGA WI People’s Lawyer Project | $1,913,956.00 |
| Greater Wisconsin Political Independent Expenditure Fund | $1,653,673.05 |
| Wisconsin Conservation Voters Independent Expenditure Committee | $1,061,350.60 |
| American Federation for Children Action Fund IE Committee Inc | $971,133.40 |
| NRA Political Victory Fund – Federal PAC | $844,815.69 |
| For Our Future | $771,780.48 |
| WMC Jobs Fund | $739,460.61 |
| High Ground Political Fund | $715,480.65 |
| Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education | $578,036.31 |
| Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin – C4 | $480,282.28 |
| Wisconsin Leadership Committee | $452,587.98 |
| NextGen Climate Action Committee | $433,535.50 |
| Forward Majority Action | $357,162.47 |
| Strong Wisconsin | $331,023.96 |
| Jobs First Coalition Political Fund | $251,350.60 |
| Leadership MKE | $246,813.87 |
| AFSCME PEOPLE | $225,201.52 |
| Progressive Takeover Independent Expenditure Committee | $221,367.87 |
| Wisconsin REALTORS Political Fund | $208,850.00 |
| AFT-Wisconsin | $189,533.89 |
| End Citizens United Non-Federal | $125,000.00 |
| Volunteers for Agriculture | $123,553.53 |
| AFSCME | $120,188.31 |
| Fair Wisconsin, Inc. | $102,372.00 |
| Planned Parenthood Advocates of WI Political Fund | $88,319.20 |
| Voces de la Frontera Action Inc. | $71,246.65 |
| MoveOn.org Political Action | $65,847.07 |
| SEIU WI State Council | $28,691.00 |
| Leaders for a Better Community, Inc | $26,020.66 |
| Center for Popular Democracy Action | $25,940.00 |
| Wisconsin First Political Fund | $25,000.00 |
| AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Treasury Fund | $22,844.62 |
| Americans Federation of Teachers Solidarity | $20,385.00 |
| SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin | $18,280.00 |
| Fire Fighters for a Better Wisconsin (PFFW Defense Fund) | $15,698.71 |
| American Majority Action | $14,171.45 |
| Wisconsin Right to Life PAC | $10,531.00 |
| Young Americans for Liberty, Inc | $6,526.36 |
| CRG Network | $5,134.00 |
| Sierra Club Political Committee | $5,098.82 |
| Leaders Igniting Transformation Action Fund | $761.91 |
| Citizen Action of Wisconsin Inc. | $634.01 |
| WEAC Region 7 PAC (Southeast United Educators PAC) | $34.50 |
| Total | $32,244,705.24 |
Campaign Cash
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