Feb. 24, 2025 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
WASHINGTON – At a recent campaign stop, conservative state Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel acknowledged a “turf war” playing out among Wisconsin Republicans.
He said the party is “at risk of becoming divided” but suggested the time to have those discussions is after the high court election on April 1.
“This battle is going on,” Schimel said, according to audio obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “My message to everybody is … I need 100% of the conservative vote. We all have to grab an oar and work at this. If we don’t, we lose.”
“So can you shut it down for 49 more days, and let’s win this race,” he added. “And then you know what? Then duke it out.”
The infighting Schimel referenced is a behind-the-scenes clash between the conservative dark money group Turning Point Action and the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
The simmering tensions between the two camps are largely over the party’s infrastructure and leadership in the key battleground state. It’s a spat that has grown increasingly public following the November election and appears to be coming to a head as county parties and congressional districts elect their leadership for the next two years.
Allies of the state GOP have warned that Turning Point, which began as a youth-focused group active on college campuses but has since expanded its voter outreach operations, particularly in Wisconsin, is attempting to “take over” the Republican Party of Wisconsin. They have pointed to a Turning Point project that calls to “revitalize the Republican Party from the inside out,” and have also questioned the group’s effectiveness in the state.
Members of Turning Point in Wisconsin, meanwhile, have publicly criticized the state party’s fundraising woes — Wisconsin Democrats have vastly outraised their GOP counterparts in recent years — and are pushing back against a proposed amendment to the party constitution that would prevent employees of the group, and organizations like them, from serving in state party leadership.
Turning Point last year donated tens of thousands of dollars to county parties across Wisconsin, and more of its members and supporters are running for positions on the RPW executive committee, which determines the direction of the party.
“Any organization that wants to help improve and win elections for Republicans, that’s fantastic,” one northeastern Wisconsin Republican recently told the Journal Sentinel. “But I think it’s the ‘how.’ When you have an organization like Turning Point that has a clear strategic initiative to wipe out leadership of the state party, I have no respect for that.”
A spokesman for Turning Point did not respond to multiple interview requests from the Journal Sentinel. Several members of the group in Wisconsin either did not respond to similar requests or declined to speak about Turning Point.
Turning Point’s growing Wisconsin footprint
Turning Point’s presence in Wisconsin is nothing new.
The group, whose founder Charlie Kirk has close ties to President Donald Trump and has promoted conservative principles and Christian nationalism, has been active in the state for at least two years.
Its employees hold top leadership positions in several county parties, including in Milwaukee, Dane and Brown counties. Last year, Turning Point backed Waukesha County GOP Chair Terry Dittrich in his successful bid to become one of Wisconsin’s members of the Republican National Committee.
But Turning Point assumed a larger presence in the state ahead of the November election, when it made Wisconsin a focal point for its “chase the vote” initiative to support the Trump campaign.
Elon Musk’s America PAC later took over a large share of the operations — a move described by the groups as a partnership, though state party insiders said it was necessary to boost what they described as Turning Point’s lagging progress.
Now, as county parties and congressional districts elect their leadership ahead of the state party convention in mid-May, Turning Point members and supporters are seeking positions as state convention delegates and seats on the executive committee, including in the 5th and 8th Congressional Districts.
Turning Point brings its Mount Vernon Project to Wisconsin
Those moves are in line with Turning Point’s so-called Mount Vernon Project.
The plan is Turning Point’s blueprint to remake the Republican National Committee by putting a focus on placing its allies in local party offices. It “aims to fill positions ranging from State Party Chair, National Committeeman, and National Committeewoman” to reconstruct the RNC “from the inside out,” according to the initiative’s website.
“These roles are strategically vital, and exert considerable influence over the party’s direction,” the website reads. “At its heart, the Mount Vernon Project aims to support new conservative leaders in challenging the party’s status quo. This effort reflects the idea of standing up to the ‘Establishment,’ seen as out of touch with regular Americans.”
Republicans from around Wisconsin say the project is playing out in the Badger State.
In addition to running for executive committee posts, Wisconsin Republicans affiliated with Turning Point have been directly linked to the Mount Vernon Project.
Current Milwaukee County GOP Chair Hilario Deleon is featured on a Mount Vernon Project flyer from after the 2023 RNC chair race. The flyer lists precinct delegates, county chairs, state party chairs and national committee members as key positions to target.
It describes the project’s goal as “recruiting and empowering true conservatives to seek Republican Party Office and replace those who have continuously failed and ignored the grassroots.”
Deleon’s photo appears in the bottom right corner of the document and above the caption: “electing young blood to party leadership.” Deleon, who was a paid door knocker for Turning Point and America PAC ahead of the 2024 election, did not respond to interview requests.
Members of the group in Wisconsin have also spoken publicly about the strategy. Brett Galaszewski, the national enterprise director for Turning Point and Milwaukee County GOP’s first vice chair, laid out similar plans during a 2023 presentation at Turning Point’s America Fest. He encouraged a group of Republicans from around the country to get involved in their local parties and said: “This is where we take over the party.”
“The infrastructure in the Republican Party is there,” Galaszewski said at the time. “We as conservatives need to take it over.”
“I know it sounds like I’m bashing the Republican Party,” he said at another point in the presentation. “And you’re like, ‘Hey, aren’t you part of the party?’ Yes, I am. But the only reason I joined the party and the hellhole that it can be sometimes is because I want to change it. That’s the future of the party.”
Galaszewski did not respond to multiple interview requests.
Asked about the dynamic between Turning Point and the state party, RPW Chair Brian Schimming said in a statement only that the RPW is a “grassroots volunteer organization” and noted that “Republicans working together in 2024 was vital to President Trump winning Wisconsin.”
“It is important to recognize the different roles campaigns, political parties, and third-party groups do to further the conservative movement,” Schimming said. He made no mention of Turning Point.
But others in the party, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of backlash from Turning Point, framed the relationship between the groups as something other than a partnership.
Several Republicans told the Journal Sentinel they welcomed support from third-party organizations but said Turning Point operated differently, sowing divisions with the state party while trying to curry favor with local parties and promote its brand.
Turning Point donated more than $150,000 to 17 Wisconsin Republican county parties last year, according to state and federal finance records. The donations were largely made in installments of $5,000, $7,000, or a total sum of $12,000 to each county. At least two counties — Outagamie and Door — rejected the donations.
Last year, several county parties chose to use Turning Point’s voter contact app to collect voter data rather than the state party-recommended Advantage and Campaign Sidekick apps. That meant the state party received less data from major counties like Dane, Milwaukee and Brown — valuable information for the state GOP in future elections like the state Supreme Court race.
“I think it’s ultimately about power, influence and money,” said one longtime Wisconsin Republican, referencing that data collection disconnect. “We’re the Republican Party. We’re here to defeat Democrats in elections… It’s a lot more party infighting. That does hurt our candidates.”
Recently, a top source of the tensions between the camps has been a now-tabled proposal to amend that state GOP’s constitution to prohibit employees of nonprofits organized under 501(c)(4) of the tax code, including Turning Point, from serving on the state party’s executive committee.
Proponents of the amendment said it is necessary to prevent conflicts of interest. Members of Turning Point, though, have suggested it is an attempt to limit their reach, saying it “roadblocks a number of young, bright future leaders in the party.”
“We will be taking a major step backwards if the @WisGOP leadership prohibition on outside organizations takes effect this May,” Galaszewski wrote on X last month.
“No wonder the RPW has time to pick fights with the base!” wrote Brandon Maly, a Midwest field manager for Turning Point and chair of the Dane County GOP, referencing the state party’s dismal fundraising. “Getting outraised 37:1 AND wanting to drive 501(c)4s and PACs out of Wisconsin is not a recipe for success.”
The conservative talk show host Dan O’Donnell also derided the proposal last month on his show. He said it is his “very strong suspicion that the people in power currently with RPW don’t want people who are in their 20s or are in their 30s to supplant and replace them.”
“So they want to cut off this possibility at the head,” O’Donnell said, noting the amendment would impact Turning Point. He said he was “doubtful” conflicts of interest would arise “since everyone’s interest is promoting conservative leadership.”
The debate is also seen at the local level.
During a Brown County GOP caucus meeting last month in which members of Turning Point were present, nominees to be state convention delegates were asked how they would vote on the amendment, according to multiple people who attended the caucus. Two people present at the caucus said members were advised on who to vote against.
Other third-party groups active in Wisconsin, like Americans for Prosperity, have not publicly protested the amendment. The proposal is expected to be reconsidered at the state GOP executive committee’s next meeting in March, according to a state party official.
Maly, the Dane County chairman, in an interview with the Journal Sentinel, declined to speak about his work for Turning Point. And while he’s been publicly critical of Schimming and the state party, accusing them of wanting to “kill the grassroots,” he said only that Wisconsin Republicans need to “step up the fundraising.”
Wisconsin Republicans raised about $25.9 million across their state and federal accounts in 2024 compared to $72.4 million raised by state Democrats, according to a review of fundraising data.
Asked about the debate over the 501(c)(4) amendment, Maly said that while “some laundry was aired,” Republicans “understand that the mission is to elect Brad Schimel” in his state Supreme Court race against liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. And he said Democrats, not Republicans, are the divided party.
“I think their divisions are worse than our divisions,” Maly said. “Ours is a little more about infrastructure, and theirs is about their identity. Republicans are not struggling with identity right now. This is Donald Trump’s Republican Party.”
Some allies of Turning Point have denied the group is attempting an intentional takeover of the state party, even as they acknowledge the increased, long-term presence the group has in Wisconsin. They described Turning Point as a mechanism that works with and supports the grassroots of the party.
Ken Sikora, chairman of the Oconto County GOP whose current campaign to be 8th Congressional District chair is supported by members of Turning Point, told the Journal Sentinel he operates on his own and has never attended a Turning Point rally, though he follows Kirk and agrees with the group’s messages.
He said the group is “more so giving help to us when we need it” and called them “somebody that’s willing to go out and do some work.” He suggested fears from some in the party that Turning Point was trying to put people in positions of power were unfounded.
“I’ll be honest, when we get to that point, we’ll deal with it — if there’s too many of them, and they’re calling the shots,” Sikora said. “We’ll deal with that when we get there, because I don’t know that we’re ever going to get there, and they’re not asking anything for the money they give out.”
Joel Bartel, the chair of Waupaca County GOP and a vocal opponent of the state party, said he sees Turning Point as a “viable part of our party.” He said he thinks Turning Point’s presence is a “good thing,” referencing their voter outreach efforts, but said they still have to earn the votes to be elected to executive board positions.
“I have no problem with any 501(c)(4) organization that wants to help get Trump elected and get good conservatives elected. I have no problem with any of it,” Bartel said. “If they work their way up and get on the state board and become state chair, good for them.”
Bartel added: “But (if) there’s issues they’re voting on, they gotta make sure they disclose any kind of conflicts of interests they may have in an issue.”
Asked if he thinks Turning Point was trying to shake up the party’s executive board, which includes the state party chair, vice chairs and congressional district leaders, among other positions, Bartel responded: “Absolutely, and they should because it’s been a good old boys network for a long time.”
Vicki McKenna, another conservative talk radio host, put it similarly during her show on Friday, saying Turning Point’s presence in Wisconsin “really bothers the people who have been around in the party structure for a long time and have gotten comfortable in that party structure.”
“There’s a war,” McKenna said. “It’s a quiet war. Nobody’s really paying attention to the war. But there’s a war going on.”
Still, Turning Point’s growing influence is being felt across the state.
Outagamie GOP Chair Pam Van Handl, whose executive board rejected the Turning Point donations, told the Journal Sentinel she is “seeing what Turning Point is doing right now. There’s a lot of bashing of the RPW online.” She said the board was skeptical of the donation.
“We just feel when there’s free money, when they come in and say there’s free money, no strings attached, it’s usually too good to be true in our eyes,” Van Handel said of the donation.
The strings: “Taking over board positions,” Van Handel said.
For now, however, both parties in Wisconsin have the state Supreme Court race in front of them.
When asked at the recent campaign stop in Jefferson County about the rift between some in the party and Turning Point, Schimel suggested the fight should play out at the state party convention in Rothschild on May 17.
“You’re right, we are at risk of becoming divided while they’re divided,” Schimel told voters. He said Republicans got “proof of life” with Trump’s victory in November.
Now, he said, the “floodgates are opening” and Republicans have momentum.
“Don’t do Barney Fife to ourselves and shoot ourselves in our own foot.”
Daniel Bice of the Journal Sentinel contributed from Milwaukee.
Lawrence Andrea 