A Washington, D.C.-based political organization has deployed more than $700,000 into Wisconsin’s local spring elections in the last few weeks, positioning itself as a dominant force in non-partisan mayoral and city council races that have historically seen little outside spending.

The State & Local Election Alliance, or SLEA, is an independent expenditure committee operating out of an office on Pennsylvania Avenue. According to campaign finance reports and transaction data, the group has spent exactly $739,700.44 in Wisconsin this cycle. The spending is characterized by a coordinated blitz, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in digital advertising and professional consulting fees appearing in the final weeks before the April election.

The Battle for Waukesha County

The alliance has made Waukesha County its primary focal point. In the race for Waukesha Mayor, the group has committed $172,774.27 to influence the outcome. Records show $121,007.10 was spent in support of candidate Alicia Halvensleben. An additional $51,767.17 was spent on express advocacy specifically opposing her opponent, State Rep. Scott Allen.

In neighboring Brookfield, the group’s financial footprint has reached $116,210.61. The majority of that funding, roughly $105,146.48, is dedicated to supporting Mike Hallquist for mayor. The group also spent $11,064.13 to back candidate Catherine Kahler in her bid for the Brookfield Common Council.

Statewide Ambitions

Beyond the suburban Milwaukee area, the alliance is targeting mid-sized hubs across the state. While initial reports suggested a single-candidate focus in Green Bay, the data reveals a far more comprehensive strategy. The group is currently funding a near-complete slate of eight candidates for the Green Bay City Common Council, with a total investment of $208,592.59 in that city alone.

Supported candidates in Green Bay include John Plageman, Jon Shelton, Doug Orlowski, Ben Delie, and Kathy Hinkfuss. Each of these candidates has seen between $20,000 and $28,000 in independent spending on their behalf.

In Eau Claire, the group has dedicated $48,531.07 to support Ben Gragert in his campaign for City Council President. This spending is separate from the Green Bay slate, illustrating the group’s reach across both sides of the state.

The National Money Trail

Although the group brands itself as a local alliance, its financial lifeblood is entirely national. Filings indicate that the Wisconsin-registered entity is funded exclusively by its parent organization in Washington, D.C.

National Federal Election Commission records show the parent SLEA organization has raised over $4.02 million for the 2025–2026 cycle. A significant portion of this war chest, approximately $1.85 million, comes from unitemized small-dollar contributions. These are donations under $200 that do not require the disclosure of individual donor names or occupations under federal law, effectively shielding the identity of nearly 46 percent of the group’s contributors.

The State & Local Election Alliance (SLEA) is led by President Kim Rogers and operates as a strategic evolution of the Open Democracy PAC Before its termination in early 2025, Open Democracy PAC was a primary vehicle for left-of-center electoral strategy, receiving more than $4.8 million in funding from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a prominent Washington-based “dark money” nonprofit. In February 2025 alone, Open Democracy PAC transferred over $150,000 to SLEA to seed its current operations.

The organization’s mission, as stated on its official platform, is to secure the “groundwork for 2028” by installing sympathetic officials in the 10,000-plus jurisdictions that oversee ballot counting and election certification. This effort is bolstered by local allies, such as Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, who has publicly praised the group. Their official website quotes Genrich, “Protecting democracy means standing up for the people and safeguards closest to the voters, and that’s why the work of the State and Local Election Alliance is so essential.” By combining large-scale institutional grants from the Sixteen Thirty Fund with a steady stream of unitemized small-dollar donations via ActBlue, SLEA has built a financial pipeline designed to overwhelm local, low-budget municipal contests with national-level resources.

The alliance does not appear to utilize local Wisconsin campaign staff. Instead, the group funnels its money through high-level national consultancies. New York-based BerlinRosen and D.C.-based Brushfire, LLC have handled the bulk of the digital strategy, polling, and media buys.

Strategic Objectives

The influx of out-of-state money into non-partisan municipal offices has raised questions among local transparency advocates. The SLEA’s mission appears to focus on building a network of local officials and judges who oversee election administration and municipal policy heading into the 2028 general election.

By targeting low-turnout local races where $20,000 in digital ads can significantly outweigh a candidate’s own fundraising, the alliance has created a new paradigm for Wisconsin’s spring elections.

To be clear, nothing about this spending appears to run afoul of Wisconsin campaign finance laws. Critics of such spending argue that the influx of out-of-state money nationalizes local non-partisan offices. Proponents of the strategy often state that such groups provide necessary resources for candidates to reach voters.

The alliance’s filings indicate their involvement is part of a broader effort to influence the local officials who oversee election administration and municipal policy heading into the 2028 general election.

With the spring election set for April 7, the full impact of the alliance’s late-stage financial surge remains to be seen.

Note: The Dairyland Sentinel provides reporting and analysis on various candidates and political movements to inform our readers. Nothing on our website, newsletters, podcasts or social media posts should be construed as an endorsement. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we do not endorse candidates for public office.

Images from SLEA Website

By Brian Fraley, Publisher, Dairyland Sentinel March 31, 2026