The Washington Post reports:

A super PAC with Republican Party ties has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent days to support the Green Party presidential candidacy of Jill Stein in Wisconsin, in another sign that the supporters of the major parties believe her campaign could affect the election result.

Badger Values PAC, a new federal PAC founded by a longtime Republican operative with ties to Senate GOP leadership, has reported in recent days matched expenditures opposing Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and supporting Stein. Other spending has been reported as supporting the campaign of Republican Donald Trump.

In total, the group reported $982,905 in spending through Oct. 23, including at least $307,000 that names Stein in direct mail or other advertising. The group has not reported any donors yet this cycle.

Badger Values registered as an independent group intending to spend on federal elections on Sept. 24, according to federal records. The group has the same name, address and treasurer of a group that registered in 2022 in Wisconsin to support the failed Republican primary bid of state attorney general candidate Adam Jarchow.

Les Williamson, who helped to lead both groups as treasurer, has a long history of working on GOP Senate efforts including the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Williamson worked as a deputy finance director at the NRSC in 2016 and helped create White Mountain PAC in 2022. That group was funded by the Senate Leadership Fund, a group run by aides to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Timothy Mellon, the heir to a steel and banking fortune, who is a top donor this year in support of Trump’s candidacy. [Continue reading…]