Wisconsin Democratic candidate for governor Sara Rodriguez announced Sunday that her campaign is facing a significant financial shortfall, discovering hundreds of thousands of dollars less in available funds than previously reported. The revelation came to light when campaign advertisements scheduled to run last week were not aired due to unpaid invoices.
Rodriguez, the current lieutenant governor, stated she terminated her campaign manager just one month before the Aug. 11 primary, citing discovered discrepancies including double-counted contributions and undercounted expenses. Speaking at a news conference, Rodriguez characterized the situation as a "bump in the road" and pledged to continue her bid for the governorship.
She is competing in a primary against fellow Democrats Francesca Hong, Mandela Barnes, Kelda Roys, and Joel Brennan. The winner will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election. The governor's office is open as current Gov. Tony Evers has not endorsed a primary candidate.
Other candidates in the primary have reacted to the news. Darby O’Connor, campaign manager for Mandela Barnes, called the error "unheard of in professional politics" and suggested such mismanagement would hinder the campaign against Tiffany. Francesca Hong emphasized the importance of "trust, honesty and accountability" from all candidates. Jalen Knuteson, a spokesperson for Kelda Roys, stated the errors indicated Rodriguez was "unprepared for the rigors of a general election or governing." Joel Brennan deemed the financial errors "disqualifying."
Rodriguez explained that she began questioning the campaign's finances after the planned $1 million television ad campaign did not commence as scheduled. Her campaign has since notified the Wisconsin Ethics Commission and is working to correct a January report detailing last year's donations and expenditures. The campaign reported raising approximately $1 million and having about $200,000 cash on hand, with plans to resume the delayed ad placements the following week. Rodriguez stated she was being transparent about the situation, asserting that she would not be discussing the errors publicly if she were attempting to conceal them.