Political ads · 2026 · WI

Wisconsin House District 6 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Glenn Grothman won · 52.8% to 43.3% · Called by AP on Nov 3

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Glenn Grothman (Republican), Brad Smith (Democrat) and Michael Thurow (independent) are the nominees for Wisconsin's 6th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Glenn Grothman is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Glenn Grothman's campaign had raised $1.2 million (through October 14, 2026), Brad Smith's campaign $322,000 (through October 14, 2026) and Michael Thurow's campaign $195,000 (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $0 for Glenn Grothman and $11,000 against; $11,000 for Brad Smith and $0 against.

Glenn Grothman (REP, incumbent), Brad Smith (DEM), Michael Thurow (IND). 3 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Also on every Wisconsin ballot: 3 statewide ballot measures → The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.

How to vote in Wisconsin

From Wisconsin's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration	Register by Wed, Oct 14 (Online/mail: 20 days before. In person at clerk until Friday before (Oct 30), or at polls on Election Day). Same-day registration: Proof of residence required (passed)Source: elections.wi.gov ↗
Early voting in person	Varies by county; check your county’s schedule (In-person absentee; each municipal clerk sets its schedule, starting up to 14 days before the election)Source: elections.wi.gov ↗
By mail	Anyone can vote by mail; request a ballot by Thu, Oct 29 (Received by municipal clerk by 5 p.m. on the 5th day before the election (online or mail)); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by 8 p.m. on Election Day; postmarks do not count) (passed)Source: elections.wi.gov ↗Source: elections.wi.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (passed)Source: elections.wi.gov ↗
ID at the polls	Photo ID required (e.g. WI driver's license/ID, U.S. passport, military, tribal, certain student IDs)Source: elections.wi.gov ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ Wisconsin's official election site ↗

Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Glenn Grothman (REP, incumbent)

Raised: $1.2M through 2026-10-14 individuals $826K · PACs $382K · party $500 · cash on hand $616K
Outside spending: $11K opposing Grothman · latest reported 2026-10-29
Largest outside spenders: BUILDING TOGETHER — $11K opposing Grothman

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

108 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

ACCA-PAC $2,000
ALLIANT ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEES PAC $5,000
ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMER PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOC PAC (PTPAC) $1,000
AMERICA'S CREDIT UNION PAC $3,500
AMERICA'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES PAC $3,000
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS PAC $2,000
AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION PAC $7,000
AMERICAN CHEMISTRY COUNCIL PAC $5,000
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LIFE INSURERS PAC $2,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION CO $5,000
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION $2,000
AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOC. PAC $2,500
AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS PAC $5,000
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION C $5,000
AMERICAN PRINCIPLES $500
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA INC POLITICAL AC $3,000
ANIMAL WELLNESS ACTION PAC $1,000
ANTI-WOKE FUND $10K
ARGENTUM'S SILVER PAC $1,000
ASCP PAC $1,000
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS CONTRACTORS PAC $10K
ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA PAC $2,500
BNSF RAILPAC $1,500
BOAT PAC $2,000
BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK PAC $1,000
BRUNSWUCK CORPORATION MARINE POLICY PAC $2,000
BUCKEYE LIBERTY PAC $10K
BUILDPAC $3,500
CELANESE CORPORATION PAC $2,500
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS INC PAC $2,500
CONCRETEPAC $2,500
CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP IN ELECTIONS PAC $3,500
COUNCIL OF INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS PAC $1,000
CROP INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION PAC-CIPA $1,000
DELL TECHNOLOGIES INC. PAC $1,000
DOW INC. PAC $1,000
ENERGY MARKETERS OF AMERICA $1,500
EYE OF THE TIGER PAC $5,000
FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
GE HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIES INC PAC $1,000
HAFA PAC FEDERAL $1,500
HEXION INC. PAC $2,500
HOLLAND & KNIGHT COMMITTEE FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT $1,000
HOUSE CONSERVATIVES FUND $1,000
INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY BANKERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL $1,000
INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS INC PAC (IEC PRIDE PAC) $1,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOC. OF FIRE FIGHTERS PAC $1,000
INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION FRANCHISING PAC $2,000
INVESTMENT COMPANY INSTITUTE POLITICAL ACTION COMM $3,500
JIM JORDAN FOR CONGRESS $2,000
KOCH INDUSTRIES INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (KOCHPAC) $2,500
LEAN FORWARD AMERICA FUND $3,500
MANAGEMENT & TRAINING CORP PAC $1,000
MCDONALDS CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS POLITICAL ACTION CO $1,500
MILWAUKEE POLICE ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
MINEPAC $1,000
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC (MDSPAC) $1,000
MORTGAGE GUARANTY INSURANCE CORP PAC $2,500
MRF PAC $500
NACD RESPONSIBLE DISTRIBUTION PAC $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOC OF WHOLESALER-DISTRIBUTORS PAC $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOC. OF BENEFITS AND INSUR. PROF. PAC $2,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONVENIENCE STORES POLITIC $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL $1,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL AC $7,000
NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL OF AMERICA COMMITTEE FOR T $2,500
NATIONAL PRO-LIFE ALLIANCE PAC $500
NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOC PAC $2,500
NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION INC. POLITICA $1,000
NFDA PAC $1,000
NFIB FEDERAL PAC $500
NFIB FEDERAL PAC $500
NGA GROCERS PAC $1,000
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL FEDERAL PAC $7,000
NRA POLITICAL VICTORY FUND $1,000
OLIN GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $1,000
ON WISCONSIN PAC INC. $5,000
OSHKOSH CORP EMPLOYEE PAC (OCEPAC) $10K
OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
RAILROAD CO GTW IC PAC (CN PAC) $2,000
RAPTOR PAC $1,000
REPUBLICANS UNITED TO DEFEND YOU PAC $1,000
RUDY FOR INDIANA $4,000
RURAL BROADBAND PAC $1,000
SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL PAC (SCIPAC) $1,000
SCALISE FOR CONGRESS $2,000
SHEEDER LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE $1,000
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BEET SUGAR COOPERATIVE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SQ $1,000
STAFFING PAC $7,500
SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF FLORIDA (PAC) $500
TEXANS FOR JODEY ARRINGTON $2,000
TEXTILE RENTAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA POL $7,500
THE FARM CREDIT COUNCIL PAC $4,000
THE GOOD FUND MULTICANDIDATE COMMITTEE $500
THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE CORP PAC $1,000
UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION FUND FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT $1,000
US VENTURE INC US PAC $2,000
USA RICE FEDERATION PAC $1,000
WAGING PEACE $10K
WALMART INC PAC $2,500
WEC ENERGY GROUP PAC $3,500
WINE & SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA PAC $2,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Brad Smith (DEM)

Raised: $322K through 2026-10-14 individuals $299K · PACs $6,250 · party $4,000 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $11K · cash on hand $91K
Outside spending: $11K supporting Smith · latest reported 2026-10-29
Largest outside spenders: BUILDING TOGETHER — $11K supporting Smith GRASSROOTS NORTH SHORE — $19 supporting Smith

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

3 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION - COPE $250
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Michael Thurow (IND)

Raised: $195K through 2026-10-14 individuals $176K · PACs $19K · cash on hand $8,274
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

4 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

APPLETON PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 257 $250
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS INTERESTED IN REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION PAC $5,000
UAW - V - CAP (UAW VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM) 'INT'L UNION UNITED AUTOMOBILE AERO $5,000
WORKING CLASS HEROES FUND $8,500

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in WI; or it ran mostly in WI and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.