With 10 days until Election Day and early voting underway in many states, Republicans appear to be targeting battleground states using shady tactics meant to disrupt the Democratic vote.
Recent reporting sheds light on third-party candidates who are receiving significant financial backing from conservative-affiliated dark-money groups. This could set the stage for spoiler candidates to siphon crucial votes away from Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and give her GOP opponent Donald Trump more footing to reoccupy the White House.
According to a Washington Post investigation, Republican super PAC Badger Values has spent at least $307,000 on mailers and advertising to bolster the Green Party’s Jill Stein in Wisconsin. This investment raises concerns about the intention behind such funding, especially in a state whose electoral votes are critical to winning the White House.
The group sent mailers to voters in Wisconsin advocating for Stein. The mailers read, “As President, Jill Stein would end pollution in our great lakes and rivers,” and claimed “Kamala Harris and co. don’t care about the environment.”
Since when is the GOP the party of environmental concern and “green” friendliness? Last time I checked, their nominee giddily destroyed environmental protections while in office.
According to reporting by Real Clear Politicsthe Republican-aligned dark-money group Fair Election Fund has taken credit for similar efforts to promote Stein and independent candidate Cornel West. Their paid media campaigns are designed to elevate these candidates, likely at the expense of the Democratic ticket.
Lis Smith, a communications adviser for the Democratic National Committee, condemned the GOP’s strategy in a campaign email.
“Jill Stein has no chance of winning this election, but Republicans and Trump know that she can help deliver them the White House,” Smith wrote. She emphasized that heavy investments in battleground states like Wisconsin indicate a clear strategy to manipulate voters.
“A vote for Stein is a vote for Trump,” Smith warned.
The Harris-Walz campaign reiterated these sentiments in a campaign email, asserting that this underhanded Republican strategy aims to peel votes away from Harris and ultimately aid Trump’s bid for the White House.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that billionaire and right-wing provocateur Elon Musk may be violating federal election laws with a $1 million daily sweepstakes for swing-state voters who sign his super PAC’s petition. The Department of Justice has warned Musk that such actions could be illegal, further complicating the already dis- and misinformation-filled political environment.
Mother Jones reports on another emerging dark-money influence: the Only Citizens Vote Coalition, a right-wing organization perpetuating the debunked narrative that noncitizens are illegally voting. Fueled by Trump and MAGA Republicans, this bald-faced lie has contributed to widespread belief of election fraud among the American populace.
The coalition has raised a staggering $590 million from right-wing donations since 2020 and has over 80 factions nationwide. One-quarter of its donors are linked to Project 2025the extremist blueprint for a second Trump administration, and have influenced the installation of right-wing judges across the country, according to Mother Jones.
It sure seems like the MAGA movement’s dark-money operatives have given up on winning races the old-fashioned way: running the best and most-qualified candidates—and telling the truth.
