GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – More than $1 million has been spent in Green Bay’s mayoral race between Eric Genrich and Chad Weininger, which is believed to be a record amount for the position.
A majority of the money has been spent in a way that does not require approval from either of the candidates.
State law allows political action committees to make independent expenditures. They are investments made without coordination of candidates and there is no limit on the amount that can be spent.
“A lot of this money is kind of funded in the dark, so we don’t have any understanding of where outside funds are coming from,” said Genrich.
According to the state campaign finance database, as of Tuesday, at least nine political action committees spent a combined total of $678,887 on the mayor’s race.
$297,000 of that is from Restoration PAC, a conservative group out of Illinois. Three quarters of that amount was spent to run a TV ad that attacks Genrich for his use of audio surveillance at city hall.
FOX 11 asked Weininger: Restoration PAC has had a long history of supporting conservative, Republican, candidates. Does that make it difficult for you when you’ve been trying to push a message of being nonpartisan?
“Again, I’m not out there recruiting any third-party money,” said Weininger, who told us he didn’t know anything about the TV ad. “I’m just focusing on what I have control over, which is my message. I’m assuming people are paying attention. They’re probably seeing I’m getting outspent significantly. Maybe they’re trying to balance the scale. I don’t know.”
“I think it’s important to understand where that money is coming from,” said Genrich. “Restoration PAC is funded by the Uihlein family. That is a group that funded the January 6th rallies in Washington D.C. and other places.”
Open Democracy PAC, a liberal group based in Washington D.C., has spent $116,471 to try to get Genrich re-elected.
FOX 11 asked Genrich: What do you know about them? How do you feel about their support?
“Not very familiar with the organization,” said Genrich. “As I said, I think laws should have changed ultimately to have full transparency, but I can’t really speak to the group.”
“Obviously he’s very well connected to a lot of these political organizations and they’re going to invest in him,” said Weininger. “For me, I’m just trying to rely on as much as local as possible.”
View Chad Weininger’s latest campaign finance report.
For the funds the candidates have direct control over, Weininger raised $70,935 n the latest reporting period. All but $3,200 of that came from individuals.
View Eric Genrich’s latest campaign finance report.
Genrich raised $216,713. Of that total, $170,950 came from committees, including $101,000 from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
“They truly are the most important pro-democracy forces in the United States of America right now, so I’m happy to have that support,” said Genrich.
“Partisan politics don’t belong in local races,” said Weininger. “We don’t need that dysfunction that we see at the federal and state level penetrating local government.”
Election day is April 4th.
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