MADISON – When it comes to the hotly contested Republican primary to succeed Tom Tiffany in Congress, one candidate in the race is leaning heavily on a big family tie – his father-in-law, U.S. transportation secretary and former congressman Sean Duffy.
The candidate, 26-year-old Michael Alfonso, scored an endorsement from Duffy’s boss, President Donald Trump, who called Alfonso a “MAGA Warrior” who would adhere to the president’s agenda.
Duffy has appeared alongside Alfonso at campaign events, including a kickoff gathering in Wausau in November.
So far, the race has brought in funding from inside Wisconsin and out of the state, with lobbyists for high-interest transportation projects donating to Alfonso’s campaign. According to a March 18 report from ProPublica, lobbyists for the Hudson Tunnel – a $16 billion construction project connecting New Jersey in Manhattan – have given Alfonso’s campaign $2,500.
Donations have come from those with ties to projects ranging from railways to air travel that are overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Duffy as its head, ProPublica reported.
Alfonso is also counting on support from the state he recently called his home, Florida.
Alfonso and his wife, Evita Duffy Alfonso, the daughter of Sean Duffy, lived in Florida for about one year, moving back to Wisconsin last summer. Alfonso worked as a producer for Bongino Inc., the organization that makes “The Dan Bongino Show.”
Duffy appeared at a March 3 fundraiser for Alfonso’s campaign in Naples, according to WisPolitics, where plates started at $100 for attendees under 30. Suggested donations went up to $14,000 for “platinum hosts.”
According to campaign financial records, Alfonso raised more than $25,000 in donations from Florida between launching his campaign in October and the end of the year, including a $2,500 donation from Brightline Holdings, LLC, which owns a high-speed passenger project in Florida. The railway connects Miami and South Florida to Orlando and Tampa, according to Florida Today.
The company is also seeking federal funds to construct its latest station, in Cocoa City, according to Florida Today. The company asked for $57 million in mid-March.
In a statement, Nathaniel Sizemore, a spokesperson for Duffy, said that all events Duffy attends are looked into.
“Before attending any event, career ethics officials at USDOT screen these events, review the hosts, advise on attendees, and provide recommendations that Secretary Duffy follows,” he said in a statement. “These processes and rules have existed for decades. If Secretary Duffy attends fundraising events, he does so in his personal capacity and he will continue to do so.”
And as for decisions on funding projects, fundraising should not play a role.
“Regulatory decisions are guided by career safety professionals, the law, and the facts,” Sizemore said.
In total, Alfonso has raised about $150,000 from outside of Wisconsin, according to finance reports, out of the $313,000 he raised between Oct. 1 and the end of December, figures that don’t reflect the Naples event or any others since the first of the year.
The primary features five Republicans in the 7th Congressional District that Tiffany carried in a special election in 2020 for the seat Duffy vacated. He won reelection in 2022 and 2024.
Tiffany is leaving the seat to run for governor this year.
Others running on the Republican side are attorney Paul Wassgren, former Marathon County GOP chair Kevin Hermening, public relations professional Jessi Ebben and business owner Niina Baum. The Democrats vying for the seat are former state Representative Fred Clark, business owner Chris Armstrong, and former Ashland city attorney Ginger Murray. The party primaries Aug. 11 will narrow the field to a head-to-head race Nov. 3.
So far, Republicans have come out ahead in fundraising. Wassgren has put about $2.5 million toward his campaign, placing him far ahead of the pack.
In a statement, Max Docksey, a spokesperson for Alfonso, did not comment on Alfonso’s Florida or Duffy ties, instead leaning into his ties to Trump.
“Michael is the only candidate in the race endorsed by President Trump. He has earned support from conservative leaders, including a majority of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, and from grassroots supporters across the district and country,” Docksey said. “Every decision he makes will be driven by one priority: fighting to put the people of Wisconsin’s 7th District first.”
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: In contested Wisconsin GOP race, Sean Duffy’s presence looms large
Reporting by Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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