An independent expenditure group run by the Republican Governor’s Association is spending $2.2 million to boost Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong, the only candidate losing the general election in every poll of the Wisconsin Governor’s race.

  • TIPP: Tiffany +3 Over Hong. Tom Tiffany 43%, Hong 40%
  • Patriot Polling: Tiffany +4 Over Hong. Tom Tiffany 46%, Hong 42%

This ad buy comes as the third place candidate—Sara Rodriguez—is hit with an “extinction level event” and “mortal blow” due to lying to voters on campaign finance reports and committing potential ethics violations, leaving the field to former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes and Francesca Hong.

“Right as the GOP gets confirmation that this is a two person race, they decided to meddle to pick the candidate Tom Tiffany wants to face in November,” said campaign manager Darby O’Connor. “This race should be decided by Wisconsin voters, not billionaire MAGA donors. There is one candidate who can win this primary and the general election, and it is Mandela Barnes.”

Unlike Hong, Mandela Barnes beats Tom Tiffany in every poll. Mandela has led the primary in both internal and rival polling.

  • Impact Research: Mandela Barnes +6 over Tom Tiffany. Mandela Barnes 50%, Tom Tiffany 44%
  • TIPP: Mandela Barnes +2 over Tom Tiffany. Mandela Barnes 43%, Tom Tiffany 41%

Read more about MAGA billionaires trying to buy this primary below:

New York Times: G.O.P. Appears to Boost Socialist’s Primary Campaign for Wisconsin Governor

  • A super PAC tied to Republicans is spending $2.2 million on television advertisements that appear to be aimed at boosting the chances of Francesca Hong, a Democratic candidate for governor in Wisconsin.
  • Some Democrats in the state have fretted over the prospect that Ms. Hong, a democratic socialist with unabashedly left-wing views in a distinctly purple state, might advance out of a crowded August primary — and then deliver the governor’s mansion to Representative Tom Tiffany, the likely Republican nominee, in November.
  • Republicans appear to agree. The PAC running a new ad about Ms. Hong, Right Direction Wisconsin, is tied to the Republican Governors Association. The 30-second ad, which will begin airing on Thursday in liberal parts of the state, including Madison and Milwaukee, criticizes Ms. Hong for being too liberal, in what appears to be a counterintuitive strategy to grow her appeal among Democratic primary voters.
  • Ms. Rodriguez’s campaign has been rocked in recent days by the revelation that her bid has far less money than she expected after her campaign undercounted expenses and double-counted contributions.