Political parties dump $3+ million into Wausau-area Assembly race

John Kroll, bankrolled by the state’s Democratic Party, has outraised Republican incumbent Patrick Snyder in the campaign to flip an Assembly seat in the Wausau area.

By Annie Pulley, THE BADGER PROJECT

More than $3 million has poured into a race for a central Wisconsin Assembly District this year, and the vast majority of that cash comes from the state’s Democratic and Republican parties and their billionaire donors.

Since 2017, Republican state Rep. Patrick Snyder has represented the district, which includes Wausau and the Village of Weston.

This year, Democratic candidate John Kroll, from Necedah, is fighting to flip it.

State Democrats are seeking to win a majority in the 99-seat Assembly, where Republicans currently hold a 54-45 majority in the chamber. If Democrats succeed, it would be their first time taking the reins in the state Assembly since 2010. They need a net gain of five seats to do that.

Piles of cash didn’t begin flooding into the Wausa-area district until 2024, the same year that Gov. Tony Evers signed off on newer, more competitive legislative maps. Previously, the maps had been drawn by Republicans and heavily favored them.

In 2024, Snyder raised more than $1 million, most of which came from the state GOP, and defended his seat, winning by nearly seven points or about 2,000 votes.

Both sides are taking advantage of a gaping loophole in state campaign finance law that allows political parties to raise unlimited amounts of money and also donate unlimited amounts to a candidate’s campaign.

This year, Republican megadonors have dumped money into the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s coffers.

Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, co-founders of ULINE packing supplies, and Diane Hendricks, co-founder of ABC Supply Co., a building supplies company, have given the state GOP a whopping $73 million so far this year alone.

A handful of Democratic megadonors, including LinkedIn co-founder and investor Reid Hoffman, Richard Uihlein’s left-leaning cousin Lynde Uihlein, Lynn Schusterman, the billionaire widow of Charles Schusterman, Sarah O’Neill, the daughter-in-law of the now-deceased billionaire investor Charlie Munger, and Michael Bloomberg, have collectively given the Democratic Party of Wisconsin about $23 million. 

In this election cycle, Snyder has received more than $1.5 million from the Republican Party of Wisconsin. He’s raised another $95,000 from individual donors and political action committees, which are allowed to donate a max of $1,000 per election cycle. 

Kroll, who is challenging Snyder for control of the seat, has received about $1.8 million from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He has raised an additional $215,000 from people and political action committees.

The huge spending by the political parties in the race has led to a flood of advertising on screens and in mailboxes.

Despite receiving seven figures from his billionaire-funded party as well, Kroll tried to separate himself from his opponent.

“Our grassroots campaign has attracted thousands of small dollar donors while billionaires are bankrolling Pat Snyder in an effort to try and buy this election in the 85th Assembly District because they know I won’t do their bidding in Madison,” Kroll wrote in an emailed statement to The Badger Project. “Instead of doing what’s best for the richest people in our state, I’ll fight to make life better and more affordable for hardworking families in Wisconsin.”

Snyder did not respond to multiple emailed requests for comment.

Issues

Before his election to the state Assembly, Snyder worked as a radio host for a conservative talk radio station in Wausau. He later worked for former Congressman Sean Duffy, who represented the area and now serves as the Secretary of Transportation in President Donald Trump’s cabinet

Snyder emphasizes affordability, healthcare and education as the key issues on his campaign website.

He also highlights his legislative work to bolster the state’s foster care system and his efforts to increase the amount of resources available to those struggling with addiction.

On his website, Snyder touts an endorsement from Volunteers for Agriculture, a political group that supports pro-agriculture candidates. No other endorsements appear on his campaign website.

Reading the political mood, Kroll also says affordability is a pillar of his election bid. His legislative goals include making healthcare more affordable, getting money out of politics, and protecting Wisconsin’s water and natural resources, according to his campaign website. 

Kroll studied energy efficiency at a technical school and now works in the building trades. He is also a board supervisor for Marathon County.

Wisconsin Conservation Voters, a group that advocates for pro-environmental candidates, has endorsed Kroll, citing his commitment to stopping the unregulated construction of data centers and keeping energy costs low for people in Wisconsin.

Also, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the teachers’ union that advocates for educators and for bolstering the quality of education broadly, recommended Kroll as the preferred candidate in Assembly District 85.

Early voting began Oct. 20, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

This story was funded by a grant from the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation.

The Badger Project is an independent news nonprofit in Wisconsin.