A Trump-aligned political action committee reserved $1.7 million in advertising to support U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, reported Thursday by WisPolitics editor JR Ross.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that another Trump-linked group, No Going Back PAC Inc., has so far spent more on mail in U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil’s 1st Congressional District than on Van Orden’s 3rd District race. No Going Back PAC registered with the Federal Election Commission on Sept. 1. The group is linked to MAGA Inc., President Donald Trump’s main super PAC, and the Wisconsin disbursements were among its first, according to the Journal Sentinel.
No Going Back PAC spent roughly $90,000 on mailings in Steil’s district and about $21,000 on ad buys for Van Orden. The New York Times reported the super PAC has booked more than $95 million in ads in midterm races nationwide.
Reservations tracked by AdImpact are bookings of future ad time. They are not the same as money already spent and reported to the FEC. The $1.7 million figure reported by Ross is many times larger than the early No Going Back outlays described in the Journal Sentinel account.
The Cook Political Report rates Steil’s race “likely Republican” and Van Orden’s race a “toss-up.” Trump won both Wisconsin districts in 2024. Steil has won by relatively comfortable margins since first elected in 2018.
Wisconsin’s two targeted GOP House seats sit at the center of the fight for control of Congress. Steil represents southeastern Wisconsin. Van Orden represents the western 3rd District. Outside groups on both sides are expected to keep pouring money into both races through Election Day.
