Tiffany Raises $43 Million for Wisconsin Governor Race

By Amanda Reynolds Raleigh, NC · WISCONSIN —

Published Updated 4 min read

Tom Tiffany raised $43 million for the Wisconsin governor's race, while David Crowley raised $12 million. A new poll shows Crowley leading likely voters 49% to 46% ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

WISCONSIN — Republican Tom Tiffany has raised more than $43 million for the Wisconsin governor's race to date. Democrat David Crowley has raised about $12 million. David Crowley said: “Why would they contribute that amount of money to a politician? It’s because these billionaires know that if they buy Congressman Tom Tiffany in this election, he will sell Wisconsin out to them. To them, this is clearly just monopoly money.” “When you look at what Congressman Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump are doing, they're peeing on us and telling us it's raining,” he said.

He said: “I never know how much I raise, man. Honestly, I just fundraise. I never count it, nor do I spend it.” A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday showed Crowley supported by 49% of likely voters and Tiffany by 46%, with 5% undecided. Restoration of America PAC, funded by Richard Uihlein, reported spending about $12.5 million to support Tiffany.

Crowley benefited from nearly $3 million in transfers from the Wisconsin Democratic Party. The party has taken in about $15.5 million in donations from Reid Hoffman since 2019. It also received $1 million each from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Lynde Uihlein over the past two months.

Tiffany outspent Crowley on campaign advertising $40 million to $26 million. In the 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial race, the Wisconsin Republican Party raised $13 million.

A 2015 Wisconsin state law allows unlimited contributions to state political parties. Individuals cannot give more than $20,000 to a candidate. Political parties can transfer unlimited amounts to candidates.

Tiffany is a member of the United States House of Representatives. Crowley is the Milwaukee County Executive. He attended a campaign event in California with former Vice President Kamala Harris and actor Sean Penn. Tiffany is backed by President Donald Trump.

On Sept. 12, Tiffany’s airplane made an emergency crash landing into Lake Wausau, resulting in minor injuries to Tiffany and the pilot. “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.

“Tiffany is willing to sell the state of Wisconsin, our precious state, to the highest bidder,” he said. “It's time for us to fight back and make sure that we're doing everything that we can to speak truth to power and undo the hurt and pain they have caused Wisconsin families.”

Charles Franklin, MU Poll Director, analyzed the polling data. “We have a close race here,” he said. “There probably was a bit of a positive effect of seeing him in a very human situation, one that none of us ever want to go through.”

Among all registered voters in the Marquette poll, Crowley was supported by 46% and Tiffany by 45%, with 9% undecided. The poll of likely voters surveyed 692 people between Sept. 16 and Sept. 23. The margin of error was +/-4.8 percentage points.

President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Wisconsin declined to 38% in September. Inflation and the cost of living are the most important issue for 45% of registered Wisconsin voters.

The incumbent Governor Tony Evers is not seeking a third term. The current race is the first open race for the office in 16 years. The election is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Timeline

On Sept. 12, Tom Tiffany’s airplane made an emergency crash landing into Lake Wausau, resulting in minor injuries to Tiffany and the pilot. Among all registered voters in the Marquette poll, David Crowley was supported by 46% and Tom Tiffany by 45%, with 9% undecided. A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday showed David Crowley supported by 49% of likely voters and Tom Tiffany by 46%, with 5% undecided. The Wisconsin governor's election is scheduled for Nov. 3.

What's New

Additional reporting details the flow of funds from major donors. “Dick Uihlein, Liz Uihlein and Diane Hendricks have given tens of millions of dollars to the state Republican Party, and the state Republican Party has then transferred that money to the Tiffany campaign, making the Tiffany operation flush with cash.” Tom Tiffany’s campaign received $24.2 million in transfers from the Wisconsin Republican Party, which was fueled by donations from Diane Hendricks, Dick Uihlein, and Liz Uihlein. Diane Hendricks, owner of ABC Supply, has donated over $19.9 million to state campaigns and committees in 2026, including $8.1 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party.

The Wisconsin Republican Party has received over $38 million from Diane Hendricks and the Uihleins since January 1, 2026, according to campaign finance reports. In the 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial race, the Wisconsin Republican Party raised only $13 million, compared to $38 million in 2026. Dick Uihlein and Liz Uihlein, owners of Uline Corp. have each given $11 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party since January 1, 2026. Tom Tiffany issued a statement criticizing Crowley's activities and donors.

Why It Matters

The scale of fundraising in this race shows the impact of state laws permitting unlimited contributions to political parties. The 2015 law enables billionaires to funnel money through state parties to candidates, bypassing individual contribution limits. This mechanism has allowed the Wisconsin Republican Party to raise more in 2026 than in previous cycles, transferring large sums to Tiffany's campaign. The disparity in resources is notable, though polling suggests the race remains tight.

Voters face a choice in the first open governor's race in 16 years, with key issues including inflation, immigration, and healthcare. The outcome could shift the balance of power in a state where recent gubernatorial elections were decided by narrow margins. National factors, such as presidential approval ratings and economic conditions, also play a role in shaping voter preferences. The election results will determine the direction of state policy on issues like family leave and data center regulation.

fact_check Facts

Republican Tom Tiffany has raised more than $43 million for the Wisconsin governor's race to date.
Tom Tiffany raised more than $26 million during the two months prior to the filing of fundraising reports on Wednesday.
More than $24 million of Tom Tiffany's recent fundraising came from Diane Hendricks, Richard Uihlein, and Liz Uihlein.
About $34 million of Tom Tiffany's total fundraising has come from Wisconsin Republican Party transfers.
Restoration of America PAC, funded by Richard Uihlein, reported spending about $12.5 million to support Tom Tiffany.
Tom Tiffany outspent David Crowley on campaign advertising $40 million to $26 million.
Democrat David Crowley has raised about $12 million for the governor's race to date.
David Crowley benefited from nearly $3 million in transfers from the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party has taken in about $15.5 million in donations from Reid Hoffman since 2019.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party received $1 million each from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Lynde Uihlein over the past two months.
Tom Tiffany barred reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel from attending one of his events in Milwaukee last week.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on billionaire donations to Tom Tiffany's campaign last week.
David Crowley attended a campaign event in California with former Vice President Kamala Harris and actor Sean Penn.
A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday showed David Crowley supported by 49% of likely voters and Tom Tiffany by 46%, with 5% undecided.
Among all registered voters in the Marquette poll, David Crowley was supported by 46% and Tom Tiffany by 45%, with 9% undecided.
On Sept. 12, Tom Tiffany’s airplane made an emergency crash landing into Lake Wausau, resulting in minor injuries to Tiffany and the pilot.
David Crowley, Democratic candidate for governor
"Tiffany is willing to sell the state of Wisconsin, our precious state, to the highest bidder."
David Crowley, Democratic candidate for governor
"Why would they contribute that amount of money to a politician? It’s because these billionaires know that if they buy Congressman Tom Tiffany in this election, he will sell Wisconsin out to them. To them, this is clearly just monopoly money."
David Crowley, Democratic candidate for governor
"When you look at what Congressman Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump are doing, they're peeing on us and telling us it's raining."
David Crowley, Democratic candidate for governor
"I never know how much I raise, man. Honestly, I just fundraise. I never count it, nor do I spend it."
Tom Tiffany, Republican candidate for governor
"David Crowley is jetting between Washington, D.C., and California with Kamala Harris while his campaign takes thousands from AI interests and defund-the-police advocates and millions from the billionaire-backed Democrat Party of Wisconsin. He is fully embracing an agenda of higher taxes, soft-on-crime policies, and massive data centers all over Wisconsin."
Charles Franklin, MU Poll Director
"We have a close race here."
Charles Franklin, MU Poll Director
"That movement is heavily concentrated among Republicans, who earlier did have an opinion and now have a negative one."
Charles Franklin, MU Poll Director
"But there has been some movement among independents, into a more negative view. Democrats have hardly changed."
Charles Franklin, MU Poll Director
"I think a really important takeaway, the national forces are very bad for republicans, because of president’s job approval, because of the views of the economy and inflation and gas prices, all of those things are really bad right now."
Anthony Chergosky, associate professor of political science at UW-La Crosse
"Dick Uihlein, Liz Uihlein and Diane Hendricks have given tens of millions of dollars to the state Republican Party, and the state Republican Party has then transferred that money to the Tiffany campaign, making the Tiffany operation flush with cash."
Anthony Chergosky, associate professor of political science at UW-La Crosse
"It shows us that money on its own does not necessarily determine the election outcome. There are so many factors in this campaign that are going to influence the outcome, including Donald Trump’s approval rating, the price of gas and unique state-level issues that both candidates are trying to take important positions on."

menu_bookBackground & Sources

Context and data our newsroom added to the originating report, with the primary source for each item shown below it.

Diane Hendricks owns ABC Supply in Beloit, which sells roofing and building supplies.
Richard Uihlein and Liz Uihlein own Uline Corp., which is based in Wisconsin and sells boxes and other shipping supplies.
Richard Uihlein and Liz Uihlein live in Illinois.
Reid Hoffman is the founder of LinkedIn.
Lynde Uihlein is Richard Uihlein’s cousin.
Individuals cannot give more than $20,000 to a candidate in Wisconsin.
Political parties in Wisconsin can transfer unlimited amounts to candidates.
David Crowley is the Milwaukee County Executive.
Tom Tiffany is backed by President Donald Trump.
The Wisconsin governor's election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Incumbent Governor Tony Evers is not seeking a third term.
The current Wisconsin governor's race is the first open race for the office in 16 years.
The Wisconsin Legislature has had a Republican majority since 2011.
Five of the past seven presidential elections in Wisconsin were decided by less than one percentage point.
Democrat Tony Evers won the previous two Wisconsin governor's races by margins of 1.1 percentage points and 3.4 percentage points.
The Marquette University Law School poll of likely voters surveyed 692 people and was conducted between Sept. 16 and Sept. 23.
The Marquette University Law School poll of registered voters surveyed 843 people with a margin of error of +/-4.3 percentage points.
The Marquette University Law School poll of likely voters had a margin of error of +/-4.8 percentage points.
In the August Marquette poll, David Crowley had 49% support and Tom Tiffany had 44% support among likely voters.
In the August Marquette poll, the race was tied at 44% each among registered voters.
David Crowley has a net favorability of -13 points, with 31% favorable and 44% unfavorable views among registered voters.
Tom Tiffany has a net favorability of -6 points, with 39% favorable and 45% unfavorable views among registered voters.
Among registered voters who heard a lot about Tom Tiffany's plane accident, 52% viewed him favorably and 46% unfavorably.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Wisconsin declined to 38% in September, with 60% disapproval.
Illegal immigration and border security are the next most important issue for 11% of registered Wisconsin voters.
Health insurance is the most important issue for 9% of registered Wisconsin voters.
Jobs and the economy are the most important issue for 9% of registered Wisconsin voters.
Property taxes are the most important issue for 7% of registered Wisconsin voters.
Data centers and abortion policy are each the most important issue for 5% of registered Wisconsin voters.
Tom Tiffany’s campaign received $24.2 million in transfers from the Wisconsin Republican Party, which was fueled by donations from Diane Hendricks, Dick Uihlein, and Liz Uihlein.
Source: law.marquette.edu
Diane Hendricks, owner of ABC Supply, has donated over $19.9 million to state campaigns and committees in 2026, including $8.1 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party.
The Wisconsin Republican Party has received over $38 million from Diane Hendricks and the Uihleins since January 1, 2026, according to campaign finance reports.
Source: law.marquette.edu
Dick Uihlein and Liz Uihlein, owners of Uline Corp., have each given $11 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party since January 1, 2026.
Source: law.marquette.edu
In the 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial race, the Wisconsin Republican Party raised only $13 million, compared to $38 million in 2026, showing a significant increase in fundraising capacity.
Source: law.marquette.edu
Marquette University Law School conducted a poll on Sept. 16–23, 2026, showing David Crowley leading Tom Tiffany 49% to 46% among likely voters, with a margin of error of +/-4.8 percentage points.
Lynde Uihlein, Richard Uihlein’s cousin, donated $1 million to the Wisconsin Democratic Party in the two months prior to the filing of fundraising reports.
The Uihlein family is helping another way. Restoration of America PAC, which is funded by Richard Uihlein, has reported spending about $12.5 million to help Tiffany.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin raised $29.6 million in the same period under Chairman Brian Schimming and still has $4.77 million left to spend.
Wisconsin SB 1001 (Relating to: the establishment of a family and medical leave insurance program; family leave to care for a family member and for the active duty of a family member; the employers that must allow an employee to take family or medical leave; allowing a local government to adopt ordinances requiring employers to provide leave benefits; providing an exemption from emergency rule pro
The Wisconsin Act allowing unlimited contributions to political parties was passed in 2015, enabling the current fundraising model that allows billionaires to funnel money through state parties to candidates.
Source: law.marquette.edu
The $24.2 million the state GOP transferred to Tiffany’s campaign helped him outraise Dem rival David Crowley more than 2-to-1 during the reporting period.
Tom Tiffany is a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 7th congressional district since 2020.
David Crowley is the first African American to serve as Milwaukee County's top official and the youngest person elected to the office, taking office in May 2020 at age 33.

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