Kevin Nicholson (pictured) lost by nearly 6 points in Tuesday’s Republican primary. It was the latest in a string of costly defeats for Richard Uihlein, who stormed on the scene this year to become one of the most prolific GOP donors of the 2018 election cycle. | Scott Bauer/AP Photo Elections ‘I know he’s frustrated’: GOP megadonor on staggering losing streak Richard Uihlein, one of the top donors of 2018, has dropped tens of millions of dollars only to watch most of his picks go down.

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Conservative megadonor Richard Uihlein needed a win, and Kevin Nicholson was his guy.

After watching his other recent political investments crash spectacularly — Roy Moore in Alabama, and a Republican challenger who lost a primary challenge to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner — Uihlein plowed $8 million in recent months into Nicholson’s bid for Senate in Wisconsin, for an astounding $11 million in all.


Nicholson lost by nearly 6 percentage points in Tuesday’s Republican primary. It was the latest in a string of costly defeats for Uihlein, who stormed on the scene this year to become one of the most prolific GOP donors of the 2018 election cycle.

Now the reclusive packing supply magnate is second-guessing strategists giving him political advice on big-money races, according to people with knowledge of Uihlein’s discussions on the matter.

“I know he’s frustrated. I know he questions the political judgment of the people around him — not good,” said a Republican consultant with knowledge of Uihlein’s strategy. “There are people around him who play on his conservative better angel to make money off of him.”

Uihlein has emerged on the national scene this cycle as a pre-eminent megadonor. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Uihlein ranks third in the nation with his $29.1 million in contributions. That’s about on par with conservative Sheldon Adelson’s $30 million in contributions and Democrat Tom Steyer’s $29.5 million.

While the losing record might have Uihlein rethinking his spending strategy, his loss this week is unlikely to keep him out of future campaigns. On Friday, he was scheduled to attend a Wisconsin “unity” luncheon with the Republican who beat Nicholson, Leah Vukmir, along with billionaire Diane Hendricks, who helped bankroll Vukmir’s primary campaign.

Vukmir has already said she’s hopeful Uihlein would now steer his contributions to her effort to oust Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

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Those who’ve worked with Uihlein say he views his political spending as a form of ideological philanthropy. While he’s stung by the latest loss, he has no plans to slow down.

“All I can tell you is that he is disappointed that Kevin lost. He believed immensely in Kevin,” said conservative radio host and former congressman Joe Walsh, who is close to Uihlein. “He puts his money where his mouth is. He’s got his beliefs. I don’t anticipate that resolve changing at all.”

Still, several people close to Uihlein said he’s prepared to reconsider the team he’s relied on in recent campaigns.

“One of the reasons he put so much money into Kevin — he needed a win. He wasted a ton of money here,” said another GOP consultant with knowledge of Uihlein’s strategy. “I think he was hopeful that this was going to be a big win and it wasn’t. I think he does question some of the judgment of the political people he’s listened to historically.”

While Uihlein has spent generously throughout the country, his biggest bet by far was on Nicholson.

One source involved in the Senate primary race told POLITICO that polling data made available to Uihlein weeks before the Wisconsin primary showed Nicholson with a healthy lead. They helped persuade Uihlein to make another cash infusion earlier this month.

“It’s a remarkable sum of money to invest,” former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said of the $11 million from a single donor. “I don’t really ever recall in Wisconsin history anything that could even come close to this.”

Throughout the GOP Senate campaign, Uihlein directed millions of dollars into Restoration PAC, as well as Wisconsin’s Club for Growth. Colorado-based Clear Creek Strategies handled direct mail, while Reed Media Partners handled TV production.

Uihlein has notched a few victories, funding Republicans who prevailed in Senate primaries in West Virginia and Montana.

“We’re proud of our wins in the West Virginia and Montana primaries this cycle and plan to achieve many more victories across the country this November,” Restoration PAC president Doug Truax said in a statement.

In Illinois, Uihlein has worked with John Tillman, who heads the Illinois Policy Institute, a Libertarian think tank, and has steered more than $17 million to the Liberty Principles PAC, run by conservative strategist Dan Proft.

Uihlein has long financed local races in the Midwest to help Republicans gain seats in state legislatures. His $2.5 million investment in long-shot gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives’ campaign earlier this year came after Rauner signed legislation expanding public funding of abortion. Rauner, a multimillionaire himself, barely made it out of the primary, winning by just 3 percentage points.

“Frankly, I think the [competitive] primary was a positive. It’s made [Rauner] a better candidate,” said conservative Illinois state Rep. David McSweeney, a Rauner critic who credited Uihlein with making it a real race. “I feel a lot better about the Rauner message right now on taxes, I think that is a focused message that without a primary wouldn’t have happened.”

Former Illinois Republican Party chairman Pat Brady, though, contended the opposite is true. Brady noted that Uihlein’s money in the gubernatorial contest went toward financing one of the most controversial political ads in Illinois political history — steered by Proft — that caricatured transgender individuals, women who seek abortions and immigrants.

And $1.8 million of Uihlein’s money helped fund a divisive primary challenge against Illinois House GOP leader Jim Durkin, who won handily.

“It’s a losing proposition to have these primary wars out there, and spend money on candidates who don’t ever win,” Brady said. “Now Uihlein’s losing primaries. Just to back these losing candidates again and again and again — the only people who make money off of that are consultants.”

