Wisconsin Democratic state legislators call on Tom Tiffany to denounce racist ‘dog whistle’ TV ads

Two Wisconsin state legislators and community leaders are calling on Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany to denounce and for billionaire megadonors Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein to take down TV ads the legislators deem racist.

One ad in question was funded by the Restoration for America PAC, which the Uihleins are major contributors, and uses footage from a series of fights last month at the Wisconsin State Fair to attack Democrat David Crowley.

“Want Milwaukee-style chaos and mayhem across Wisconsin?” the narrator says. “That's exactly what we'll get if soft-on-crime David Crowley gets a promotion to governor.”

Speakers at Thursday’s protest outside the Wisconsin GOP office on MLK Drive and North Avenue in Bronzeville find fault with the ad as it depicts young Black people in racist ways.

First, there is footage of a brawl at the fair which they say feeds into the stereotype that Black people are violent and criminal. The ad also doesn’t mention what happened to those involved in the fights, like accountability.

Also, a frame of the ad shows Crowley pictured with two young faceless Black people wearing wife beaters and holding guns, attempting to tie the Milwaukee County Executive to the image. The ad also uses fire flames, reminiscent of riots and racial uprising. These images imply that as governor Crowley would allow such lawlessness to become the state norm.

“Under his watch, Milwaukee gives safe harbor to illegal aliens,” the narrator says, before only showing images of Black or Brown people. The ad concludes by saying Crowley will be a “danger to us all.”

It comes as no surprise that Republican groups would use crime to attack a Democrat, but this ad seems to be a proxy to emphasize race.

In Milwaukee, crime has decreased annually since historic heights during the pandemic. Even the homicide rate is pacing lower this year than last year, according to police.

“Wisconsin deserves better than political campaigns built around fear, racial division and millions of dollars from wealthy … donors,” said state Rep. Christine Sinicki. “This is 2026, we should not be seeing political advertising that relies on images and language that critics have described as racial dog whistles. We’ve seen this playbook before.”

Racism has long been used in political ads, including the so-called Willie Horton ads ran against presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988. Closer to home, many racial overtones were used against former Milwaukee Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt when he sought the mayor’s office in 2004.

“We should be able to agree that Wisconsin elections should be about facing the issues in Wisconsin,” Sinicki said. “Important issues like affordability, education and healthcare. Not exploiting fear and racial division.”

Organizers are critical of another ad from the PAC, which shows a grinning Crowley, which some say a grinning Black man is a racist trope. Organizers also take exception with an ad directly from Tiffany’s campaign surrounding the issue of iPads and tablets at the Milwaukee County Jail. And a fourth ad by Americans for Prosperity PAC also attacking Crowley on crime.

“I have one simple question for (Tiffany),” Sinicki said. “Will you publicly condemn these ads and will ask the people financing them to take these ads off the air?”

In recent days, Tiffany publicly praised the PAC.

“And yeah, the money …is crazy. Restoration PAC, who is on our side, they are putting millions of dollars in this race, and we are- we may have … the most successful fundraising campaign of any candidate that’s run for statewide office in Wisconsin,” the congressman said Saturday in Appleton.

Tiffany’s campaign and Wisconsin GOP didn’t respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

“This is our choice. What kind of leader do we want?” asked state Rep. Margaret Arney. “Do we want someone who’s constantly distracting, who’s constantly drawing on the worst part of us, our fears, our racial anxieties. Or do we want somebody who actually wants to work for Wisconsin for a better future.”