Just over a week has passed since the 2014 elections, so all eyes are now on the November 2016 elections, natch. Given that the Koch brothers and their allies spent heavily this cycle to help send their top cronies, like Iowa’s Joni Ernst and North Carolina’s Thom Tillis, to the Senate, it’s unsurprising that the Kochs’ 2016 spending plans are already being discussed. It’s especially unsurprising when you consider the battleground state in question: Wisconsin, where the Kochs and their political arm, Americans for Prosperity, have already spent millions to support Governor Scott Walker’s efforts to implement a far right agenda in the Badger state.
According to POLITICO, Wisconsin’s potentially vulnerable Tea Party Senator Ron Johnson’s bid for a second term would likely be aided by the deep-pocketed brothers. The report notes that Johnson is a “favorite of the Koch brothers’ donor network” and that Koch-affiliated operatives confirm the likelihood of heavy spending on his behalf. If AFP’s history in the state is any indicator, Wisconsinites can look forward to a bevy of misleading ads on Johnson’s behalf.
Regardless, it’s clear that this cycle’s Koch favorites were candidates who espoused Koch-approved positions at every turn. It follows that Johnson must also prioritize the billionaire brothers’ interests if he is eliciting talk of heavy Koch spending this early on in the cycle.