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Political Party/527

Wisconsin Truth PAC

Website:

wisconsintruthpac.com/
Type:

Super PAC

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Wisconsin Truth PAC is a political action committee that operated in the 2022 election and spent $28.87 million opposing Senate candidate Mandela Barnes (D), at the time the state’s lieutenant governor, and supporting the reelection bid of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). 1

The largest funders to the super PAC were building materials company CEO Diane Hendricks; shipping and packaging supplies company CEO Richard Uihlein and his wife Elizabeth; and banking heir Timothy Mellon. 2

Background

Wisconsin Truth PAC is a political action committee that operated in the 2022 election, opposing the unsuccessful Senate bid of then-Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D). It supported incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson’s campaign but was independent of the Johnson campaign. Johnson won the Senate contest. 3

The PAC accused Barnes of having “Big RADICAL Ideas funded by TAXPAYERS.” These included drivers’ licenses for illegal immigrants and government-paid higher education for all. The PAC also compared Barnes to Democratic “Squad” members including U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). 4

Finances

Wisconsin Truth PAC spent $28.87 million in the Wisconsin Senate race to help Sen. Johnson defeat then-Lt. Gov. Barnes. 5

Of that, 60.1% was spent in general election and none was directly spent on candidates. The bulk of the money, $17.36 million, was spent on ads opposing Barnes. 6 The super PAC spent $9 million promoting Johnson. 7

Building materials company ABC Supply CEO Diane Hendricks contributed $9.4 million to Wisconsin Truth PAC. 8

Shipping and packaging supplies company Uline, Inc. CEO Richard Uihlein and wife Elizabeth gave the PAC at least $3.5 million. 9

Timothy Mellon, heir to the Mellon banking fortune, contributed $5 million to Wisconsin Truth PAC. 10

Joe Ricketts, founder of Ameritrade who has owned the Chicago Cubs, contributed $1 million to the Wisconsin Truth PAC. 11

Other disclosed donors to Wisconsin Truth PAC are the conservative Carry the Torch PAC, a PAC that is funded mostly from $300,000 from an organization financed by Missouri businessman John Brunner and Texas oil executive Jan Rees-Jones. 12

Employees working for ABC Supply, owned by Dianne Hendricks, contributed a total of $19 million to Wisconsin Truth PAC, according to Open Secrets. Employees of Uline, owned by the Uihlein family, contributed $3.7 million to the PAC. Employees of Joseph Ratner Co. contributed $800,000, Fischer Investment employees contributed $200,000 and employees of the Rees-Jones Foundation, affiliated with the oil company owner Rees-Jones, gave $100,000. 13

References

  1. “Wisconsin Truth PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00804104
  2.  Shorey, Rachel and Weisman, Jonathan. “Fueled by Billionaires, Political Spending Shatters Records Again.” New York Times. November 3, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/03/us/politics/midterm-money-billionaires.html
  3. “Wisconsin Truth PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 13, 2023.  https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00804104
  4. Wisconsin Truth PAC. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://wisconsintruthpac.com/
  5. “Wisconsin Truth PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 13, 2023.  https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00804104
  6. “Wisconsin Truth PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 13, 2023.  https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00804104
  7.  Cameron, Peter. “Sen. Ron Johnson slightly losing direct donation battle, but dominating in outside spending.” The Badger Report. November 7, 2022. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://thebadgerproject.org/2022/11/07/barnes-slightly-outraising-incumbent-johnson-in-direct-donations-but-badly-losing-in-outside-spending/
  8.  Glauber, Bill. “Wisconsin U.S. Senate election updates: Mandela Barnes, Ron Johnson sprint to finish.“ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. October 19, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/10/19/wisconsin-united-states-senate-race-2022-updates-candidates-ron-johnson-seat/9571561002/
  9. [1] Shaw, Donald and Moore, David. “Three Billionaires Are Spending a Fortune to Re-Elect Ron Johnson.” Perfect Union. October 11, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://perfectunion.us/wisconsin-truth-pac-ron-johnson/
  10. Shorey, Rachel and Weisman, Jonathan. “Fueled by Billionaires, Political Spending Shatters Records Again.” New York Times. November 3, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/03/us/politics/midterm-money-billionaires.html
  11. Cameron, Peter. “Sen. Ron Johnson slightly losing direct donation battle, but dominating in outside spending.” The Badger Report. November 7, 2022. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://thebadgerproject.org/2022/11/07/barnes-slightly-outraising-incumbent-johnson-in-direct-donations-but-badly-losing-in-outside-spending/
  12. Shaw, Donald and Moore, David. “Three Billionaires Are Spending a Fortune to Re-Elect Ron Johnson.” Perfect Union. October 11, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://perfectunion.us/wisconsin-truth-pac-ron-johnson/
  13. “Wisconsin Truth PAC.” Donors. Open Secrets. Accesses January 13, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00804104&tab=donors
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