Hoffman dumps $8 million into Wisconsin race as Epstein ads spike

Reid Hoffman has transferred $8 million to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in the five weeks leading up to the general election. The funds are intended to support David Crowley, the party’s gubernatorial nominee, in his contest against Republican Tom Tiffany.

Wisconsin campaign finance records detail the timing of the contributions. Hoffman sent $2 million on Sept. 24 and $1 million on Oct. 2. Two additional checks totaling $5 million arrived on Oct. 5 and Oct. 20. This rapid sequence of payments marks one of the largest individual injections of cash into a state race this late in the cycle.

Hoffman’s spending aligns with a surge of late-cycle giving from other wealthy individuals. In Texas, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg provided $750,000 to Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa in the past week and a half. Y Combinator co-founder Jessica Livingston contributed $150,000 to the same race, state records show. Bloomberg had previously committed approximately $80 million to Democratic efforts this fall, primarily targeting House seats.

On the Republican side of the ledger, PayPal co-founder Luke Nosek donated $500,000 to Judicial Fairness PAC on Tuesday. The group supports conservative judicial candidates in Texas. It also received $2 million from Elon Musk, who has disclosed roughly $475 million in political giving through late October, making him the largest known individual donor of the cycle.

The influx of cash arrives as political advertising costs reach new heights. AdImpact reports that more than $1 billion has been booked to air before Election Day. Total spending for the 2026 cycle has surpassed $11.2 billion, a figure that exceeds the record set by any previous presidential election year.

Hoffman has described his financial involvement as a defensive move. In a post on X on Friday, he wrote, "We should get money out of politics." He added, "And while others spend outrageous amounts to keep authoritarian clowns in power, those of us who believe in the ideals of America cannot yield."

The House Majority PAC, the primary super PAC working to elect House Democrats, has received $8.5 million from Hoffman this cycle. Federal Election Commission records confirm these transfers. In the last two weeks, the group aired 13 advertisements focused on Jeffrey Epstein. These spots cost about $8.4 million and generated nearly 719.4 million impressions, according to AdImpact. Prior to this month, the PAC had not run any ads specifically targeting Epstein-related issues.

The new advertisements target Republican candidates in six battleground House races. They accuse incumbents of blocking the release of government records or maintaining ties to individuals in Epstein’s orbit. In Arizona’s Second District, an ad named "Justice" attacked Rep. Eli Crane. In Pennsylvania’s Eighth District, spots titled "Predators" and "Teacher" targeted Rep. Rob Bresnahan. This week, an ad called "Exposed" focused on Rep. Mike Turner in Ohio’s Tenth District. All three races are closely contested and could influence which party controls the next House.

Because super PACs pool contributions, it is difficult to trace Hoffman’s specific dollars to any single advertisement. However, the timing creates a visible tension for Democrats. Hoffman has acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island and meeting with him after the financier pleaded guilty to sex offenses in 2008. Hoffman stated that the relationship began with fundraising for the MIT Media Lab. He told Axios in 2019, "My last interaction with Epstein was in 2015." He added, "Still, by agreeing to participate in any fundraising activity where Epstein was present, I helped to repair his reputation and perpetuate injustice. For this, I am deeply regretful."

No allegations suggest Hoffman participated in Epstein’s sex-trafficking crimes. The Republican National Committee has used the relationship to question Democratic strategy. Spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre told Fox News earlier this week, "Democrats have no problem with money in politics so long as it benefits their own campaign." Tiffany’s campaign has also entered the fray. A new 15-second ad splices clips of Crowley mentioning Epstein and billionaires before a narrator states they are bankrolling his campaign.