Donations from labor unions make up a huge portion of his campaign funds. The heavily favored Democratic incumbent representing south-central Wisconsin is vastly outraising his Republican challenger.
By Maggie Zale, THE BADGER PROJECT
Labor unions have donated tens of thousands to the progressive Democrat Rep. Mark Pocan’s reelection campaign.
Pocan is sitting on about $870,000, while his Republican opponent Erik Olsen only has about $12,000 on hand, according to their most recent reports to the Federal Elections Commission.
Pocan (D-Madison) was elected to represent Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District — which includes Madison, Dane County and the surrounding areas — in 2012 after serving 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly. The incumbent sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which oversees government spending, and has subcommittee assignments to Financial Services and General Government; Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. He also has a leadership position in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of left-wing politicians in the House.
See a list of his top donors in this election cycle below.
Donations to candidates for federal offices from individuals are capped at $3,300 per election, so a person can give a candidate for Congress a max of $6,600 per election cycle, as it includes both a primary and a general. Political Action Committees that give to multiple candidates can donate up to $5,000 per election, for a total of $10,000 per election cycle.
Important note: the PACs of businesses cannot take money from their own coffers, per federal law. They must raise the money, which often comes from their executives and other employees.
The top donors to Pocan’s campaign in the 2024 election cycle (so far)
| DONOR | NOTES | AMOUNT |
| American Federation of State/City/Municipal Employees PAC | $10,000 | |
| American Federation of Teachers PAC | $10,000 | |
| Communications Workers of Ameica PAC | $10,000 | |
| NTCA/Rural Broadband Association PAC | $10,000 | |
| Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Union PAC | $10,000 | |
| Transport Workers Union PAC | $10,000 | |
| Operating Engineers Local 139 PAC | $8,300 | |
| National Air Traffic Controllers Association PAC | $7,500 | |
| American Postal Workers Union PAC | $6,500 | |
| Service Employees International Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding PAC | $5,000 | |
| American Bankers Association PAC | $5,000 | |
| American Dental Association PAC | $5,000 | |
| Boilermakers Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| Bricklayers Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers PAC | $5,000 | |
| Growth Energy PAC | $5,000 | |
| International Alliance Theatrical Stage Employees PAC | $5,000 | |
| International Association of Fire Fighters PAC | $5,000 | |
| International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | $5,000 | |
| Laborers Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| Operating Engineers Union | $5,000 | |
| Painters and Allied Traders Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| Teamsters Union PAC | $5,000 | |
| United Auto Workers PAC | $5,000 | |
| UNITE HERE PAC | $5,000 | |
| JOHN W MILLER FOX POINT, WI | ARENBERG HOLDINGS, PRINCIPAL | $5,800 |
| DARRELL LEE MARQUIS PEORIA, IL | MARQUIS MANAGEMENT, CEO | $3,300 |
| JOSEPH ALEXANDER MADISON, WI | ALEXANDER COMPANY, PRESIDENT | $3,300 |
| JOEL E ROGERS MADISON, WI | UW-MADISON, PROFESSOR | $3,300 |
| NICHOLAS P ALEXANDER MONONA, WI | THE ALEXANDER COMPANY, VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE | $3,300 |
| HOPE HARRINGTON WASHINGTON, DC | NOT EMPLOYED | $3,300 |
| NELSON HELM LOUISVILLE, KY | RETIRED | $3,300 |
| DUSTIN L MARQUIS PEORIA, IL | MARQUIS MANAGEMENT, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | $2,900 |
| WALT HANDSCHIN MINNEAPOLIS, MN | RETIRED | $2,700 |
| LOUIS F ANGELOS BALTIMORE MD | PETER ANGELOS LAW, ATTORNEY | $2,500 |
| LD SPARKS RICHMOND, TX | PCCA, CEO | $1,500 |
| WILLIAM B BROYDRICK REHOBOTH BEACH, DE | BROYDRICK AND ASSOCIATES, CONSULTANT | $1,116 |
| LISA KOUNTOUPES MCLEAN, VA | KOUNTOUPES DENHAM, LOBBYIST/CONSULTANT | $1,000 |
| ELIOT G BUTLER MADISON, WI | THE GREAT DANE PUB & BREWING COMPANY, EXECUTIVE | $1,000 |
| DR. SOHAIL MASOOD WESTON, MA | KABAFUSION, CEO | $1,000 |
| SALLY A STIX MADISON, WI | ATTORNEY | $1,000 |
| JAMES ANGEVINE MADISON, WI | RETIRED | $1,000 |
| WALTER J KUNICKI FRANKLIN, WI | WEC ENERGY GROUP, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | $1,000 |
| SUSAN W LIPP MERRIMAC, WI | FULL COMPASS, EXECUTIVE | $1,000 |
| JULIA MCNEARNEY WASHINGTON, DC | EXACT SCIENCES, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR | $1,000 |
| ROBERT KASIETA VERONA, WI | KASIETA LEGAL GROUP LLC, ATTORNEY | $1,000 |
| JOHNATHAN LIPP MERRIMAC, WI | FULL COMPASS, EXECUTIVE | $1,000 |
| BILL VINEY CHANTILLY, VA | BRG, PRINCIPAL | $1,000 |
| MASOOD AKHTAR MADISON, WI | UNITED AGAINST HATE, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER | $1,000 |
| GINA BESTEMAN DEERFIELD, WI | BELMAR PHARMA, PHARMACIST | $1,000 |
| RICHARD D GEORGE MADISON, WI | ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP INC, EXECUTIVE | $1,000 |
| RANDY A UDELL F ITCHBURG, WI | RETIRED | $1,000 |
| MARCY BLISS MEDIA, PA | WEDGEWOOD PHARMACY, CEO | $1,000 |
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