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Sarah Rodriguez fires her campaign

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manager for what she calls serious

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mismanagement.

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All right.

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Sarah Rodriguez fires her campaign

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manager for what she calls serious

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mismanagement.

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And suddenly, the Democratic primary

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for governor is all shaken up.

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We look at how the race changed

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overnight.

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I'm sorry, I did not see that

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coming.

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Can I blame the smoke?

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Can you fire your campaign?

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I'm like, yeah, I'm firing my

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campaign manager.

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Sarah Rodriguez fires her campaign

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manager for what she calls serious

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mismanagement, and suddenly the

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Democratic primary for governor is

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all shaken up.

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We look at how the race changed

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overnight and who's raising money in

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the homestretch.

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This is Inside Wisconsin Politics.

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I'm Sean Johnson here with Zach

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Schultz and Rich Kramer in Eau

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Claire. Hey guys.

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Hello.

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So before we get started

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with our discussion here, let's play

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a clip from Sarah Rodriguez from

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a press conference this week that we

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definitely did not see coming last

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week. This was a press that

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she held on Monday, the day after

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she told us that she had fired her

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campaign manager.

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This was over campaign

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finance reports that

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she said showed that she had

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hundreds of thousands of dollars

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less than she had expected.

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She said she noticed these when she

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was getting ready for her TV

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ad buy to start playing on

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the air. It never played.

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Turns out she didn't have the money.

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She was asked how she let this

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happen. And here's what Sarah

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Rodriguez had to say.

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What I will say is this,

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is that I met regularly with

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my campaign manager about

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how the campaign was going.

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And based on the information that I

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received and the information our

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partners received, it looked

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accurate.

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I trusted her to do

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the job that I had hired

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her to, that she had done

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for her entire career.

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And I regret placing my trust in

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that individual.

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And Sarah Rodriguez went on to say

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that it was her campaign manager who

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had approved a press release

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promising a $1 million

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ad buy.

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That $1,000,000 ad buy is not gonna

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happen. She just didn't have the

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money for it. She did announce a

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new ad buy, it will be smaller.

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We don't know how much smaller

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because she has substantially less

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money.

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My question to both of you is,

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as we look at this race, to me it

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feels like it completely changed

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the fundamentals of this race.

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Zach, is that the impression you

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get? And my next question is.

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Absolutely, this has changed

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everything. Just a week ago, we were

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talking about the momentum that

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Sarah Rodriguez had with multiple

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candidates dropping out, endorsing

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her. Could she call us as

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the main rival, the centrist

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moderate candidate in this race that

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a lot of Democrats were looking at?

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And that seems to be out the door.

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I was on the road this week

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following up with the other four

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Democratic candidates in this

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primary. And so I had the ability

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to be in a lot of areas of the

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state. Where there were a lot of

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Democrats who are still processing

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this. This was rank and file voters.

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These were county members.

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These were some elected officials.

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So they, the whole strata of

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people, and for most of

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them it was, how does this happen?

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And the number one rule of any

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campaign is you demonstrate

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your ability to be an executive

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by how well you run your campaign in

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the first place. And you often don't

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get credit for it, but you

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definitely get penalized when things

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go awry.

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And when you're missing this much

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money and you are this far out of

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the loop, the number one question

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from everyone is, how did this

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happen?

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So there are people that are

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reconsidering whether they think she

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has enough votes to win a primary

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and if she's the best candidate to

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take on Tom Tiffany in the fall from

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the Democratic perspective.

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And it kind of has a dual firing

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squad purpose for her.

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And one in that there are.

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People that support her still,

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but are more worried about whether

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others.

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Still supporters, so they fear

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backing a candidate that's not going

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to win in the primary.

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So they're having to reconsider,

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well, should I go for my next

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favorite candidate?

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Even though I still like Sara

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Rodriguez, should I switch to

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a Joel Brennan or a Kelda Royse or a

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Mandela Barnes or a Francesca Hong,

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the other candidates in this race

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who are looking to

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take advantage of this opportunity

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and pick up some of those soft

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Sara Rodriguez supporters?

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Yeah, I mean, when a big part of

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your pitch to voters is

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that you are the candidate who can

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win, you're making that electability

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pitch as you hit the homestretch

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here, anything that

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kind of calls that into question

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hits you harder than you

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might hit if you were just a

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candidate who was kind of an issue

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candidate or a candidate who had

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really solidified one

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section of the party.

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Rich, what's your read on this?

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Why was this so

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big, seemingly?

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And affect not only Sarah

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Rodriguez's campaign, but everybody

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else's.

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Well, what we

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saw was it was a Democratic

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primary that was

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starting to get a little heated in

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terms of attacks between

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the candidates, but it was very

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muted.

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And then it got a little hotter.

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But this just kind of

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scattered blood in the water.

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And Democrats like Mandela Barnes,

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Joel Brennan, Kilda Royce, Francesca

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Hong, all of them really.

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Just went on the

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attack. Some of them got very

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vicious about, you

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know, asking questions,

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why, how could this happen?

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Just trying to keep it in the news

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cycle.

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Some accused her of just,

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you now, bad campaign management

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or worse.

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It was really remarkable some of

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these statements that we've gotten,

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some of the comments that they've

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made to reporters

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or in other forums.

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So that, to me, is how it shook

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up the race.

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Meanwhile, Republican

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Congressman Tom Tiffany, who's

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essentially unopposed, he's

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making a lot of hay of this as well.

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So I guess I'm wondering

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right now as we record this on

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a Thursday, is this something where

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Sarah Rodriguez can kind of

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pull out of this tailspin?

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Where people like us watch

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this and think, hey, that's a big

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deal.

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But voters out there look at it and

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say, I'm actually not

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so worried by that.

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There's a legitimate question there,

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because there's one tendency to

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think that, oh, well, this is gonna

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evaporate all of our support.

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I was at Farm Tech Days in Stratford

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on Tuesday, and I ran into a

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gentleman who said that his wife had

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already cast her absentee ballot.

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Ballots are already out and coming

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back for Sarah Rodriguez.

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And I asked him, well does this

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change your perception of whether

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that's a vote that you would have

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wanted to make again? He said,

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absolutely not.

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My number one concern is whether

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this means she'll have enough money

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to do what she needs to do to beat

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Tom Tiffany.

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So this didn't change that

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particular voter's perspective.

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Last night, I was in Ozaukee County,

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which is part of the old WoW County.

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It's one of those classic cherry red

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Republican areas that is shifting

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more and more blue, lighter red

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every time. And they had a packed

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room and they had straw

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pool. All the members got a straw as

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they walked in the door and they

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have the glasses in the back of the

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room. So the old fashioned, you see

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how your neighbor votes.

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Sarah Rodriguez won the straw pool

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Ozaukee County.

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That was on a night where Francesca

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Hong was the speaker.

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She was in the room walking by the

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jars of straw.

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She came in second, but Sarah

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Rodriguez still won and some of the

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same rhetoric came from the voters I

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talked to there.

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And these are core Democratic county

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members. They're proud to pay their

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dues and get their straw to put in

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the basket for Sarah Rodriguez

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saying, well, my number one concern

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is whether she'll have enough money.

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And the campaign finance reports

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weren't fully out at that time.

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And right now, it does not look good

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for her being able to get her

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message out at all.

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So that double whammy of it's the

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negative news cycles and she can't

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get her own message through really

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does call into question what happens

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over the next week, especially as we

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know the Marquette poll is in the

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field or about to be in the field,

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which will really inform and

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persuade a lot of voters who are

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going to play follow the leader, who

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is the most electable, who has

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momentum.

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And if she had it before and she's

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lost it now, can she regain

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she is clearly looking

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to regain it.

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I mean, it's not something where she

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just folded after this press

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conference. She made a point of

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00:09:15,730 --> 00:09:16,829
saying this campaign is moving

286
00:09:16,830 --> 00:09:18,769
forward, which I gotta admit, when

287
00:09:18,770 --> 00:09:20,709
I walked into that press conference,

288
00:09:20,710 --> 00:09:22,509
I was not expecting that level of

289
00:09:22,510 --> 00:09:23,629
severity. And so when she brought

290
00:09:23,630 --> 00:09:25,789
that up, I thought, uh-oh,

291
00:09:25,790 --> 00:09:27,169
what is going on here?

292
00:09:28,610 --> 00:09:30,589
But like, it seems like she's trying

293
00:09:30,590 --> 00:09:32,569
to kind of prime the pump,

294
00:09:32,570 --> 00:09:34,469
you know, make sure that

295
00:09:34,470 --> 00:09:36,589
nothing is

296
00:09:36,590 --> 00:09:37,529
here, folks.

297
00:09:37,530 --> 00:09:38,949
We're running a campaign, we're

298
00:09:38,950 --> 00:09:40,109
winning straw polls, we have an ad

299
00:09:40,110 --> 00:09:41,229
up in the air. Look at the ad, I

300
00:09:41,230 --> 00:09:42,389
look good in this ad.

301
00:09:42,390 --> 00:09:43,689
You could imagine me in a general

302
00:09:43,690 --> 00:09:44,829
election.

303
00:09:44,830 --> 00:09:46,609
We're riding the ship on these

304
00:09:46,610 --> 00:09:47,789
fundraising numbers.

305
00:09:49,230 --> 00:09:50,949
Rich, like what's the problem with

306
00:09:50,950 --> 00:09:52,029
that, I guess?

307
00:09:52,030 --> 00:09:53,190
Why might that not work?

308
00:09:55,290 --> 00:09:57,309
Well, riding the ship with

309
00:09:57,310 --> 00:09:59,269
a month or so to go until the

310
00:09:59,270 --> 00:10:01,149
primary, right when candidates

311
00:10:01,150 --> 00:10:03,349
are generally trying

312
00:10:03,350 --> 00:10:05,549
to put as much money into getting

313
00:10:05,550 --> 00:10:07,409
their name out as possible,

314
00:10:07,410 --> 00:10:08,410
that's the problem.

315
00:10:09,709 --> 00:10:12,329
So her campaign and

316
00:10:12,330 --> 00:10:14,209
Sarah Rodriguez, they both

317
00:10:14,210 --> 00:10:16,309
seem pretty committed

318
00:10:16,310 --> 00:10:17,669
to staying in this, and they've

319
00:10:17,670 --> 00:10:19,529
raised a lot of money.

320
00:10:19,530 --> 00:10:20,809
They've been doing a lot of

321
00:10:20,810 --> 00:10:21,769
campaigning. They have been working

322
00:10:21,770 --> 00:10:23,489
with donors to some extent over the

323
00:10:23,490 --> 00:10:24,319
years.

324
00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:25,819
There's people who have already

325
00:10:25,820 --> 00:10:28,499
committed to her candidacy.

326
00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:30,339
I honestly have no idea

327
00:10:30,340 --> 00:10:31,739
what will happen next.

328
00:10:31,740 --> 00:10:33,819
I have seen speculation online

329
00:10:33,820 --> 00:10:35,699
that, well,

330
00:10:35,700 --> 00:10:37,599
if she can clear the primary,

331
00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,359
the Democratic money will come, no

332
00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:41,379
big deal. But it's just

333
00:10:41,380 --> 00:10:43,219
maybe the worst timing for

334
00:10:43,220 --> 00:10:45,039
this sort of news

335
00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:46,539
to come out from your campaign if

336
00:10:46,540 --> 00:10:48,469
you're trying to win a nomination.

337
00:10:48,470 --> 00:10:50,609
Yeah, I mean, it does strike me

338
00:10:50,610 --> 00:10:52,649
that it is kind of a multiplier

339
00:10:52,650 --> 00:10:54,749
effect with the problems she faces.

340
00:10:54,750 --> 00:10:57,169
She could make a bigger case

341
00:10:57,170 --> 00:11:00,109
about why she's the candidate,

342
00:11:00,110 --> 00:11:01,289
you know, drive the message with

343
00:11:01,290 --> 00:11:03,049
these TV ads.

344
00:11:03,050 --> 00:11:05,069
The problem is she just can't afford

345
00:11:05,070 --> 00:11:06,869
them. Like the money is a serious

346
00:11:06,870 --> 00:11:08,909
problem for her in terms of being

347
00:11:08,910 --> 00:11:10,809
able to hit home that message

348
00:11:10,810 --> 00:11:12,589
and that could compound.

349
00:11:12,590 --> 00:11:14,329
You know, will donors continue to

350
00:11:14,330 --> 00:11:15,729
give her money? She says they are

351
00:11:15,730 --> 00:11:16,730
since Monday.

352
00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:18,839
Uh... That they've gotten more money

353
00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,179
but i think we have to see those

354
00:11:20,180 --> 00:11:21,579
reports before we can just kind of

355
00:11:21,580 --> 00:11:23,419
take their word for it at this point

356
00:11:23,420 --> 00:11:24,329
in the cycle

357
00:11:24,330 --> 00:11:25,789
Well, Sean, one of the things that's

358
00:11:25,790 --> 00:11:27,209
interesting is we've gotten all the

359
00:11:27,210 --> 00:11:28,849
emails. Every one of the other

360
00:11:28,850 --> 00:11:30,849
candidates says that this benefits

361
00:11:30,850 --> 00:11:31,709
them. Yeah.

362
00:11:31,710 --> 00:11:33,329
And they're all trying to reframe

363
00:11:33,330 --> 00:11:34,789
this as now it's a two person

364
00:11:34,790 --> 00:11:35,609
primary.

365
00:11:35,610 --> 00:11:37,429
And it's not the same two people in

366
00:11:37,430 --> 00:11:38,349
every given case.

367
00:11:38,350 --> 00:11:39,509
It's not even a clear front runner

368
00:11:39,510 --> 00:11:41,009
of who each one of them thinks is

369
00:11:41,010 --> 00:11:43,029
the other major candidate that's

370
00:11:43,030 --> 00:11:43,869
out there.

371
00:11:43,870 --> 00:11:45,169
But Joel Brennan says this

372
00:11:45,170 --> 00:11:47,109
absolutely revitalizes his his

373
00:11:47,110 --> 00:11:48,569
odds of winning that people are now

374
00:11:48,570 --> 00:11:50,049
looking for a backup centrist,

375
00:11:50,050 --> 00:11:51,689
moderate with executive experience

376
00:11:51,690 --> 00:11:53,099
and. Talking about his experience

377
00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:54,759
with the DOA, Kel DeRoyze was saying

378
00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:56,999
this absolutely gives people

379
00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:58,739
a chance to look at her candidacy

380
00:11:58,740 --> 00:12:00,479
again and gives her momentum and

381
00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,059
Ella Barnes said the same thing and

382
00:12:02,060 --> 00:12:03,819
Francesca Hong just calmly just

383
00:12:03,820 --> 00:12:05,159
says, I've got a grassroots campaign

384
00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:06,459
that keeps growing and more and more

385
00:12:06,460 --> 00:12:08,459
people see why she's a favorite for

386
00:12:08,460 --> 00:12:09,719
a lot of them.

387
00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:11,259
But the question for you is, do you

388
00:12:11,260 --> 00:12:12,399
see any one of them that could

389
00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:14,239
actually claim to be able to take

390
00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,179
the most advantage from this?

391
00:12:16,180 --> 00:12:17,029
I think that's a pretty...

392
00:12:17,030 --> 00:12:19,309
Open discussion here and

393
00:12:19,310 --> 00:12:20,289
especially with the fundraising

394
00:12:20,290 --> 00:12:21,609
numbers we're gonna get into it does

395
00:12:21,610 --> 00:12:22,849
seem like when you mentioned the

396
00:12:22,850 --> 00:12:24,789
two-candidate race I saw that term

397
00:12:24,790 --> 00:12:26,089
a couple times in their statements

398
00:12:26,090 --> 00:12:27,929
today it is it is

399
00:12:27,930 --> 00:12:29,649
somebody plus Francesca Hong you

400
00:12:29,650 --> 00:12:31,049
know like they have sort of conceded

401
00:12:31,050 --> 00:12:32,569
that she has the left wing of this

402
00:12:32,570 --> 00:12:34,529
primary and that with

403
00:12:34,530 --> 00:12:36,949
Sarah Rodriguez stumbling

404
00:12:36,950 --> 00:12:38,789
I Mandela Barnes and the

405
00:12:38,790 --> 00:12:40,509
person who can occupy that other

406
00:12:40,510 --> 00:12:42,689
lane or Joel Brennan

407
00:12:42,690 --> 00:12:44,549
or you you know, Kel DeRoy's, they

408
00:12:44,550 --> 00:12:45,769
all seem to think that they are.

409
00:12:45,770 --> 00:12:48,229
In that non-Franchesca

410
00:12:48,230 --> 00:12:49,729
Hong lane.

411
00:12:49,730 --> 00:12:51,569
Rich, what kind of

412
00:12:51,570 --> 00:12:52,469
clues did we get from the

413
00:12:52,470 --> 00:12:54,189
fundraising numbers today?

414
00:12:54,190 --> 00:12:55,389
Everybody had to report their

415
00:12:55,390 --> 00:12:57,229
numbers, Sarah Rodriguez, all

416
00:12:57,230 --> 00:12:58,229
the candidates for governor,

417
00:12:58,230 --> 00:12:59,309
including Tom Tiffany, the

418
00:12:59,310 --> 00:13:01,349
Republican candidate for governor.

419
00:13:01,350 --> 00:13:03,249
What did we learn in terms of

420
00:13:03,250 --> 00:13:05,249
how much they raised in the

421
00:13:05,250 --> 00:13:06,490
first half of this year?

422
00:13:08,190 --> 00:13:10,049
Yeah, so this is the period between

423
00:13:10,050 --> 00:13:12,009
January 1st and June

424
00:13:12,010 --> 00:13:14,629
30th. I've got my cheat sheet here.

425
00:13:14,630 --> 00:13:16,889
Um, the two top fundraisers were

426
00:13:16,890 --> 00:13:19,289
Mandela Barnes and Francesca

427
00:13:19,290 --> 00:13:20,229
Hong.

428
00:13:20,230 --> 00:13:22,869
So Barnes raised around $840,000

429
00:13:22,870 --> 00:13:24,169
in that period.

430
00:13:24,170 --> 00:13:26,409
Hong raised around 700,

431
00:13:26,410 --> 00:13:27,349
$9,000.

432
00:13:27,350 --> 00:13:28,949
In that period, but the others

433
00:13:28,950 --> 00:13:30,509
weren't too far behind.

434
00:13:30,510 --> 00:13:32,589
So Joel Brennan brought in around

435
00:13:32,590 --> 00:13:34,829
$666,000

436
00:13:34,830 --> 00:13:36,819
Rodriguez.

437
00:13:36,820 --> 00:13:38,679
Uh... Raised around five

438
00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:40,499
hundred sixty two thousand dollars

439
00:13:40,500 --> 00:13:42,479
with a big asterisk there

440
00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:43,339
uh...

441
00:13:43,340 --> 00:13:44,779
Not with the report but because of

442
00:13:44,780 --> 00:13:46,259
outstanding debts and other things

443
00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:47,199
uh...

444
00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,079
And uh... Kelda roy's raised around

445
00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,259
527 thousand dollars

446
00:13:51,260 --> 00:13:53,499
so that's them's the numbers

447
00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:55,499
Okay, so a delayed

448
00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:56,599
answer to your question.

449
00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:57,779
I think they would look at that and

450
00:13:57,780 --> 00:13:59,379
Mandela Barnes would say, in fact,

451
00:13:59,380 --> 00:14:00,759
I'm the candidate who can benefit

452
00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:02,379
from this and I'm, you know, and I

453
00:14:02,380 --> 00:14:03,679
am the one who goes against

454
00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:05,379
Francesca Hong.

455
00:14:05,380 --> 00:14:06,799
Kel DeRoy's and Joel Brennan would

456
00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,799
say actually our reports are

457
00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:10,599
pretty good and we didn't lose the

458
00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:11,839
2022 Senate race.

459
00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:13,880
So, you now pick us, pick us.

460
00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,179
So how about cash on hand?

461
00:14:17,180 --> 00:14:18,739
You know, this money raised is nice,

462
00:14:18,740 --> 00:14:20,559
but it is July and

463
00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:22,139
you need money to get to this August

464
00:14:22,140 --> 00:14:23,140
primary.

465
00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:26,179
Yeah, the one I want to get out of

466
00:14:26,180 --> 00:14:28,019
the way right away is Sara

467
00:14:28,020 --> 00:14:30,079
Rodriguez's campaign said it

468
00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:32,639
had around $35,000

469
00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,499
in cash on hand at the end of

470
00:14:34,500 --> 00:14:36,599
June. That is

471
00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,339
a big problem.

472
00:14:38,340 --> 00:14:40,659
And also, just to note,

473
00:14:40,660 --> 00:14:42,479
their campaign reported around

474
00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,479
$150,000 or so in

475
00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:45,759
outstanding debt.

476
00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:47,819
So that would theoretically

477
00:14:47,820 --> 00:14:49,179
go against whatever money she

478
00:14:49,180 --> 00:14:51,279
raises, but I'm

479
00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:52,199
no expert with that.

480
00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,299
So, Francesca Han.

481
00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:56,199
In terms of cash on hand,

482
00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,139
$411,000.

483
00:14:58,140 --> 00:15:00,799
Kelderoy's around $406,000,

484
00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,779
and Joel Brannon had around $360,000

485
00:15:03,780 --> 00:15:05,639
One thing that was interesting to me

486
00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,539
is that, you know, Democratic

487
00:15:07,540 --> 00:15:09,499
Milwaukee County Executive

488
00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:11,079
David Crowley, he dropped out of the

489
00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,379
race last week, and

490
00:15:13,380 --> 00:15:15,659
he still had more cash on-hand

491
00:15:15,660 --> 00:15:17,339
than Mandela Barnes.

492
00:15:17,340 --> 00:15:19,439
Crowley had $315,000

493
00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,319
Barnes ended the

494
00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,399
June with $204,000

495
00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:24,269
So.

496
00:15:24,270 --> 00:15:25,879
Pretty interesting numbers.

497
00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,360
Zach, as you hear the cash numbers,

498
00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:30,339
what do you think their

499
00:15:30,340 --> 00:15:31,859
interpretation of those would be?

500
00:15:31,860 --> 00:15:33,459
I mean, do you hear a clear front

501
00:15:33,460 --> 00:15:35,059
runner just in terms of how much

502
00:15:35,060 --> 00:15:36,679
money they have in the bank?

503
00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:38,039
It's how much money they have in the

504
00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:38,979
bank and how much is already

505
00:15:38,980 --> 00:15:40,679
committed to ads going out the door

506
00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:41,779
and whether that's enough to

507
00:15:41,780 --> 00:15:43,239
actually change the position that

508
00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:44,179
they're in.

509
00:15:44,180 --> 00:15:45,819
I asked Francesca Hong about this

510
00:15:45,820 --> 00:15:47,259
last night. I said, what should

511
00:15:47,260 --> 00:15:49,339
viewers or voters take from these

512
00:15:49,340 --> 00:15:50,119
campaign reports?

513
00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,519
How should they parse these numbers?

514
00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:53,779
And she said the thing to look at,

515
00:15:53,780 --> 00:15:55,379
of course, favoring her campaign,

516
00:15:55,380 --> 00:15:56,939
she's figuring to favor her campaign

517
00:15:56,940 --> 00:15:59,039
is that it should be how

518
00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:00,559
many voters have given.

519
00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,239
How much have they given?

520
00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:03,559
And she claims she has the most

521
00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,119
support from Wisconsin, that she has

522
00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:06,819
broadest support from new people

523
00:16:06,820 --> 00:16:09,039
coming into this electoral politics,

524
00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:10,179
and that some of the other

525
00:16:10,180 --> 00:16:12,039
comparisons are, some of these other

526
00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:13,859
candidates are more relying on

527
00:16:13,860 --> 00:16:15,799
$20,000 max donors that

528
00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,519
are tapped out, that can't give any

529
00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:18,399
more money.

530
00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:19,539
But I think the bigger question

531
00:16:19,540 --> 00:16:20,719
going forward is how any of them

532
00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:21,799
compare to Tom Tiffany.

533
00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:22,819
And Rich, I'm sure you've got the

534
00:16:22,820 --> 00:16:24,359
numbers on him, and those are really

535
00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,139
striking in comparison to what we

536
00:16:26,140 --> 00:16:27,140
just talked about.

537
00:16:29,250 --> 00:16:30,929
Yeah, to say the least.

538
00:16:30,930 --> 00:16:33,129
I'll just toss both the

539
00:16:33,130 --> 00:16:35,509
raised and the cash on hand.

540
00:16:35,510 --> 00:16:37,229
So during the first six months of

541
00:16:37,230 --> 00:16:40,129
this year, Tom Tiffany raised 8.7

542
00:16:40,130 --> 00:16:41,949
million dollars.

543
00:16:41,950 --> 00:16:43,909
I mean, that's light years beyond

544
00:16:43,910 --> 00:16:45,769
what all the other dems

545
00:16:45,770 --> 00:16:49,649
and the raise have raised.

546
00:16:49,650 --> 00:16:51,589
And he also has six

547
00:16:51,590 --> 00:16:54,169
million dollars, oh, excuse me,

548
00:16:54,170 --> 00:16:55,869
of the money that Tom Tiffany

549
00:16:55,870 --> 00:16:57,789
reported raising, six million

550
00:16:57,790 --> 00:16:59,129
of that came from transfers.

551
00:16:59,130 --> 00:17:01,029
And at the same

552
00:17:01,030 --> 00:17:03,029
time, GOP mega donors

553
00:17:03,030 --> 00:17:05,129
Dick and Elizabeth Uline and

554
00:17:05,130 --> 00:17:06,669
Diane Hendricks gave about six

555
00:17:06,670 --> 00:17:07,889
million dollars to the Wisconsin

556
00:17:07,890 --> 00:17:08,848
GOP.

557
00:17:08,849 --> 00:17:10,789
So they're able to do

558
00:17:10,790 --> 00:17:12,909
those unlimited transfers.

559
00:17:12,910 --> 00:17:15,049
But Tom Tiffany, he

560
00:17:15,050 --> 00:17:17,209
spent a ton and he has

561
00:17:17,210 --> 00:17:18,229
six.

562
00:17:18,230 --> 00:17:20,029
He's got more money on hand right

563
00:17:20,030 --> 00:17:21,848
now than all of the other Dems

564
00:17:21,849 --> 00:17:24,578
combined, per the math I did.

565
00:17:24,579 --> 00:17:26,358
You know, just when you look at the

566
00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:28,338
Democratic fundraising as a whole,

567
00:17:28,339 --> 00:17:30,039
those are not huge numbers in

568
00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:31,040
Wisconsin.

569
00:17:31,740 --> 00:17:33,479
It kind of struck me this whole

570
00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:34,919
campaign that if one of these

571
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:36,739
candidates had a big donor

572
00:17:36,740 --> 00:17:38,199
on their side who was willing to

573
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:39,699
throw some money into a pack and run

574
00:17:39,700 --> 00:17:41,879
some ads on their behalf, God,

575
00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:43,119
that could seal the deal.

576
00:17:44,660 --> 00:17:46,119
And lo and behold, somebody is

577
00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:48,299
running a big $2 million ad

578
00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:50,299
for or against one

579
00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:51,159
of the candidates.

580
00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,039
It's targeting Francesca Hong,

581
00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,039
basically calling her super liberal,

582
00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,179
too liberal for Wisconsin.

583
00:17:58,180 --> 00:17:59,399
But that is running ahead of

584
00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,019
Democratic primary in democratic

585
00:18:01,020 --> 00:18:02,859
markets of Milwaukee and Madison

586
00:18:02,860 --> 00:18:04,919
by a Republican group.

587
00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:06,219
Zach, what's going on there?

588
00:18:06,220 --> 00:18:07,719
Well, this is a similar group that's

589
00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:08,959
been playing in a lot of these

590
00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:10,759
Democratic primaries trying to get a

591
00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:12,719
more liberal, socialist, progressive

592
00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:14,319
type candidate on the ballot that

593
00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:15,599
they think will be easier to defeat

594
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:16,599
in November.

595
00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:17,759
It's a playbook that they've seen

596
00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:19,819
work in a couple of races and

597
00:18:19,820 --> 00:18:21,319
fail in a few others.

598
00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:22,659
Francesca Hong talked about that.

599
00:18:22,660 --> 00:18:23,839
She said she's more than happy to

600
00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,019
have them advertise for her.

601
00:18:25,020 --> 00:18:26,159
She thinks she's still the best

602
00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,179
candidate to win in the fall.

603
00:18:28,180 --> 00:18:30,419
Obviously, the other Democrats are

604
00:18:30,420 --> 00:18:31,959
ringing alarm bells about that,

605
00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:33,279
saying if this is who Tom Tiffany

606
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:34,989
wants to face, and Democrat.

607
00:18:34,990 --> 00:18:36,349
Democratic voters should be thinking

608
00:18:36,350 --> 00:18:37,669
twice about that.

609
00:18:37,670 --> 00:18:38,949
But I think the last thing that we

610
00:18:38,950 --> 00:18:40,329
should be talking about here is the

611
00:18:40,330 --> 00:18:42,029
Democratic primary last year said

612
00:18:42,030 --> 00:18:44,029
they were going to raise money for

613
00:18:44,030 --> 00:18:44,949
the contender.

614
00:18:44,950 --> 00:18:46,829
So whoever came through would have

615
00:18:46,830 --> 00:18:48,549
one of those big lump transfers and

616
00:18:48,550 --> 00:18:50,349
what really stood out in this,

617
00:18:50,350 --> 00:18:51,349
they've only got a couple million

618
00:18:51,350 --> 00:18:52,329
dollars.

619
00:18:52,330 --> 00:18:53,829
So they have not, they're not

620
00:18:53,830 --> 00:18:55,429
sitting on six or 10 million waiting

621
00:18:55,430 --> 00:18:56,989
to dump into whoever wins this.

622
00:18:56,990 --> 00:18:58,129
We're used to them being the

623
00:18:58,130 --> 00:18:58,499
juggernaut.

624
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,379
Yeah, now all suddenly the the

625
00:19:00,380 --> 00:19:02,199
stage GOP has united its

626
00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:03,759
mega donors and they're sitting on a

627
00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:05,239
lot of cash

628
00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:06,939
This will be a wide open race,

629
00:19:06,940 --> 00:19:08,419
whoever comes through this primary,

630
00:19:08,420 --> 00:19:09,719
there will be a lot of ground need

631
00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:11,479
to be caught up to raise funds for

632
00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:11,869
the fall.

633
00:19:11,870 --> 00:19:13,589
And I understand why they did it,

634
00:19:13,590 --> 00:19:14,989
why they kind of held their money

635
00:19:14,990 --> 00:19:16,289
through this period.

636
00:19:16,290 --> 00:19:18,409
But you gotta wonder if in

637
00:19:18,410 --> 00:19:20,349
the future, somebody will question

638
00:19:20,350 --> 00:19:22,129
why they didn't attack Tom Tiffany

639
00:19:22,130 --> 00:19:23,369
while he ran millions of dollars

640
00:19:23,370 --> 00:19:25,369
worth of ads over the course of this

641
00:19:25,370 --> 00:19:26,889
summer. It's an open question.

642
00:19:26,890 --> 00:19:28,129
I mean, we'll definitely watch it

643
00:19:28,130 --> 00:19:29,889
and may have the answer in a few

644
00:19:29,890 --> 00:19:31,189
months.

645
00:19:31,190 --> 00:19:32,089
That's all the time we have for

646
00:19:32,090 --> 00:19:33,309
today. Thanks for joining us.

647
00:19:33,310 --> 00:19:34,929
Our colleague Anya Van Wagtendonck

648
00:19:34,930 --> 00:19:36,569
will be back next week.

649
00:19:36,570 --> 00:19:38,009
This has been Inside Wisconsin

650
00:19:38,010 --> 00:19:39,809
Politics. Be sure to follow us on

651
00:19:39,810 --> 00:19:42,209
pbswisconsin.org, wpr.org

652
00:19:42,210 --> 00:19:43,929
YouTube, or wherever you get your

653
00:19:43,930 --> 00:19:44,930
podcasts.