Newz(AP) — In an election year awash with billionaires’ money, there are few places where their influence has been as stark as the hotly contested race for Wisconsin governor. Tom Tiffany, the Republican congressman backed by President Donald Trump, has raised more than $26 million during the past two months, with $24 million-plus coming from just three people. It has given Tiffany a big cash advantage, according to fundraising reports filed Wednesday.
He pulled in twice as much money as Democrat David Crowley, the Milwaukee county executive, heading into the Nov. “We’re watching several billionaires here decide they want to play kingmaker in this race and the voters are the ones getting screwed out of this election,” said Nick Ramos, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks donations and spending in state races. The bulk of Tiffany’s money came from Diane Hendricks, Richard Uihlein and Liz Uihlein, who are longtime power players in Republican politics.
Hendricks owns ABC Supply in Beloit, which sells roofing and building supplies. The Uihleins own Wisconsin-based Uline Corp., which sells boxes and other shipping supplies, and they live in Illinois. Crowley, speaking to supporters on Wednesday night in Madison, said “Tiffany is willing to sell the state of Wisconsin, our precious state, to the highest bidder.” Tiffany’s campaign, when asked to respond, pointed to Crowley’s fundraising in California this week with former Vice President Kamala Harris and the money that Crowley has accepted from the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
The state party has taken in about $15.5 million in donations from billionaire Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, since 2019. Crowley has raised about $12 million to date and benefited from nearly $3 million in transfers from the state party. Records show the party received $1 million each from Illinois Gov.
JB Pritzker and Democratic megadonor Lynde Uihlein, who is Richard Uihlein’s cousin, over the past two months. Tiffany’s campaign said Crowley is “fully embracing an agenda of higher taxes, soft-on-crime policies, and massive data centers all over Wisconsin.” It’s been a sensitive topic for Tiffany. Last week, after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on billionaire donations to his campaign, Tiffany barred reporters from the newspaper from attending one of his events in Milwa…
3 election.“We’re watching several billionaires here decide they want to play kingmaker in this race and the voters are the ones getting screwed out of this election,” said Nick Ramos, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks donations and spending in state races.The bulk of Tiffany's money came from Diane Hendricks, Richard Uihlein and Liz Uihlein, who are longtime power players in Republican politics.
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