Campaign watchdog: Money kept pouring in — and out — in 2022 race for governor

The 2022 race for Wisconsin governor broke all records when it came to election spending, the campaign finance watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported Tuesday.

The money spent on the 2022 contest, $164.29 million, was 77% more than the $93.06 million spent on the 2018 governor’s race. It was more than double the $81.78 million spent on the 2014 governor’s race and more than four times the 2010 race, which cost $37.37 million.

More than half of the spending — an estimated $85.94 million — came from outside groups. Those groups outspent the campaigns themselves on both the Republican and Democratic sides, according to the Wisconsin Democracy campaign. 

Outside spending includes express advocacy ads that directly tell voters to support or oppose a candidate as well as so-called issue ads that praise or attack candidates but stop short of directly telling people to vote for or against them.

While groups are required to report how much they spend on express advocacy ads, they can keep their spending on issue ads secret. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign estimates issue ad spending by surveying broadcasters about their ad sales.

An estimated $87.77 million was spent on behalf of the Democratic ticket, Gov. Tony Evers and running mate Sara Rodriguez, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign — $45.87 million by outside groups and $41.9 million by the Evers campaign. 

The total was nearly 16% more than combined spending on the Republican side of the ballot — $75.8 million. That number includes spending by or for five Republicans in the GOP primary and general election. 

The campaign of Republican candidate Tim Michels and his running mate Roger Roth spent $28.48 million

Outside spending for Michels — who entered the GOP contest for governor vowing to largely fund his campaign himself — or for his Republican primary rivals totaled $39.39 million.

The biggest outside spenders include the Democratic Governors Association, which laid out $26.61 million to help Evers and attack Michels, and the Republican Governors Association, which spent $15.3 million through three different groups, on advertising primarily attacking Evers. Other big outside funders include:

• A Better Wisconsin Together, which spent $5.82 million to attack Michels and praise Evers; 
• Americans for Prosperity, $5.42 million to support Michels; 
• Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), $4.01 million, most of it to attack Evers. WMC also spent $25,000 on an ad in early 2022 supporting former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who lost the primary to Michels.

Another top spender was the Super PAC Fighting for Wisconsin, which spent $4.38 million, most of it to support Kevin Nicholson’s bid for the GOP nomination for governor. Nicholson withdrew before the primary election. The Texas-based Super PAC is funded by Richard Uihlein, an Illinois billionaire and co-owner with his wife, Elizabeth, of Uline, a Kenosha County supplier of shipping and other business products.