For Our Future Spends Big

For Our Future is a Washington, D.C.-based group that supports Democratic state and federal candidates in Wisconsin and four other states.

Since it was created in 2016, the organization has spent just shy of $2.1 million, making it one of the largest outside spenders in Wisconsin state elections. For Our Future uses a full array of outside electioneering tactics, including robocalls, online advertising, mailings, and canvassing to back its candidates.

Here are the races where the group has spent the most:

$711,184 in 2018 to back Democrat Tony Evers, who defeated incumbent GOP Gov. Scott Walker;

$161,204 in 2019 to support Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer, who lost to Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn for an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court;

$157,801 in 2018 to support Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet, who defeated Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court;

$141,294 in 2020 to support Democrat Brad Pfaff, who defeated Republican Dan Kapanke in an open seat race in the 32nd Senate District;

$97,726 in 2016 to support Democrat Mark Harris, who lost to Republican Dan Feyen in an open seat race in the 18th Senate District.

Even though Supreme Court elections are officially nonpartisan, Dallet and Neubauer drew much of their support from traditional Democratic allies.

The group uses a Super-PAC to make independent expenditures, which require it to file election spending reports with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission within 60 days of a primary or election. For Our Future, like other unregistered express advocacy committees, does not have to disclose its fundraising activities or contributors.

For Our Future  was formed in 2016 by billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer and national labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association.

Steyer created and funded For Our Future after blowing $75 million in 2014 races that most Democrats lost. Steyer wanted a network of liberal advocacy groups modeled after the one created by rightwing billionaires Charles and David Koch.

The group currently has field operations in five states that have been battlegrounds in recent federal elections, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Nevada, according to its Linkedin profile.

Steyer, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, is one of the largest donors to Democratic candidates in the nation. He started making individual contributions to Wisconsin state candidates in 2018 and 2019, totaling $86,000. Evers, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and Neubauer, the Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate, each received the maximum $20,000 individual contribution from Steyer.

Nationally, For Our Future has spent $20.65 million on outside electioneering activities since its creation in 2016 to support Democratic candidates for federal offices.

Unlike other special interests that sponsor electioneering activities, For Our Future does not lobby the federal or Wisconsin state governments on policy and spending legislation.