The Capitol Report, produced by WisPolitics.com — a nonpartisan, Madison-based news service that specializes in coverage of government and politics — provides a weekly analysis of issues being debated in Wisconsin state government. It is underwritten by the WNA and produced exclusively for its members. WisPolitics.com President Jeff Mayers is a former editor and reporter for the Associated Press and a former political writer for the Wisconsin State Journal.
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If you’re thinking you’ve seen or heard more political ads and received more messages on your phone or PC than ever before, you’re probably right.
Even before the campaigns hit the final days before the Nov. 3 election, spending records are falling or about to fall. It’s just the midterms, but the stakes are very high in Wisconsin: the first open governor’s race since 2010, control of the currently GOP-run state Legislature, and contests for two congressional swing seats, the 1st and the 3rd, that will help determine control of the U.S. House.
As of mid-October, consider these eye-popping numbers in advance of early in-person absentee voting on Oc. 20:
–In western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, Democrat Rebecca
Cooke reported raising nearly $12 million for the cycle, compared to
the almost $9.3 million pulled in by U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden,
R-Prairie du Chien. That candidate fundraising is helping to fuel what
observers are calling the most expensive congressional race in
Wisconsin history. AdImpact had tracked $42.7 million in paid media
alone in the cycle as national groups flooded the zone.
–In southwestern Wisconsin’s sprawling 17th Senate District, a seat
targeted by Dems in their quest to regain the Senate majority,
spending is headed toward the $10 million mark. A WisPolitics check of
independent expenditure reports and AdImpact data found nearly $5
million spent on behalf of Oregon Dem Rep. Jenna Jacobson, compared to
$3.1 million to boost Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green and
co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee. The record spent on a
Wisconsin state Senate race was in 2024 in southeastern Wisconsin’s
8th SD. The winner, Dem Jodi Habush Sinykin, of Whitefish Bay, and
those backing her accounted for $8.3 million of the record $11.6
million spent. Former GOP state Sen. Duey Stroebel, of Saukville, and
his supporters dropped $3.3 million on the race as he lost by 1.4
percentage points.
–And in this year’s governor’s race, AdImpact shows more than $82.5
million in reservations have been laid down in the race between the
Aug. 11 primary and the Nov. 3 election. That includes more than $50
million backing Tom Tiffany, a GOP congressman from Minocqua.
But the early fall spending disparity between pro-Tiffany forces and Dem Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley and his allies has recently narrowed.
Four years ago, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign tracked a record $164.3 million spent for the full campaign as Dem Tony Evers beat Republican Tim Michels for his second term as governor.
That record could also fall, when all the spending is counted beyond paid media tracked by AdImpact. There is spending for direct mail, radio, various digital media and more. It all adds up to a lot of money spent on getting your attention.
For some potential voters, no amount of spending can provide the proper motivation to venture to the polls.
But when you’re running a campaign in high-stakes races like we have in Wisconsin, you use every lever — and dollar — you can.
For more, go to www.wispolitics.com
