As Wisconsin Democrats gear up for a pivotal 2026 election cycle aimed at flipping the Assembly and securing a legislative trifecta, new questions are emerging about campaign finance matters after the Sara Rodriguez fiasco, including potential conflicts of interest at the highest levels of the party’s legislative operation.
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, who chairs the powerful Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee (ADCC), is married to Hudson Cavanagh, Technical Co-Founder and Vice President of Engineering at My Warchest, Inc., a D.C.-based provider of campaign budgeting and financial planning software. Public campaign finance records show Democratic committees and candidates — including those under Neubauer’s influence — have paid My Warchest for software and IT services.
Records from Wisconsin Ethics Commission filings and related reports reveal recurring vendor payments spanning at least 2022 through 2026. Key documented activity includes:
2022 — DLCC cycle totals for My Warchest around $486,547 (national context, with Wisconsin flows via legislative committees).
2024 — State Senate Democratic Committee paid $12,127 across 21 payments; multiple ADCC/DLCC software expenditures (hundreds to low thousands per transaction, including $500–$1,172 ranges)
Continued recurring payments after Neubauer joined the DLCC board in May 2025 ($4,272 + $4,310/month examples in sampled periods); additional software reimbursements, including to campaigns like David Crowley’s (multiple $125 payments).
2026 (through available filings): Recurring monthly software payments continue (e.g., $550/month examples in sampled DPW-affiliated filings).
The Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee (ADCC) under Neubauer’s leadership has multiple documented expenditures for campaign software. Neubauer joined the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) board in May 2025. Records show the DLCC has paid My Warchest thousands of dollars in recurring software fees, with payments continuing after her board appointment.
Totals in sampled reports reach several thousand dollars for software services, with broader cycle figures in the tens of thousands across Democratic operations. These are reported as standard vendor expenses for budgeting tools — but the spousal connection raises red flags under Wisconsin ethics rules prohibiting officials from using their position for personal or family financial benefit.
Neubauer’s role extends beyond ADCC. As Minority Leader, she influences Assembly Democratic strategy and has elevated progressive allies, including DSA member Francesca Hong (now running for governor) to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board (no longer serving). Hong’s campaign has drawn attention for its own progressive ties and grassroots fundraising via ActBlue, including events with controversial online figures, notably the far-left, DSA Hasan Piker, who refers to Communism as an “honorable end goal” of socialism.
The My Warchest payments fit into the larger Democratic financial infrastructure in Wisconsin: heavy reliance on out-of-state donors (e.g., Reid Hoffman, JB Pritzker), coordination with national groups like DLCC, and overlap with progressive and civic advocacy networks, including WMCA endorsements of Democratic candidates.
For the 2026 cycle, this matters in several ways. Democrats need to flip a handful of Assembly seats for majority control. ADCC (Neubauer) directs resources — including potentially to vendors tied to her family — across targeted races. Things are heating up on the Democrat side of the governor’s race. Hong’s DSA-aligned bid could test whether progressive momentum overcomes moderate concerns about conflicts, radical associations, and electability in a purple state.
A Democratic sweep would give them control of redistricting after 2030 — a high-stakes outcome where financial transparency and ethics questions could influence swing voter trust. Wisconsin voters expect financial transparency and accountability. Undisclosed or unaddressed spousal financial ties could become an attack line, especially amid already heated debates over dark money, DSA influence, and out-of-state funding.
My Warchest describes itself as a mission-driven tool for Democratic and progressive campaigns. Its use by multiple Democratic entities is not illegal on its face — many politicians have family businesses that intersect with politics. However, the combination of Neubauer’s leadership roles and lack of clear public disclosure on recusal or ethics compliance warrants scrutiny.
The Heartland Post will continue monitoring 2026 filings as they become public. Wisconsin’s Ethics Commission provides the primary public record for these transactions.
