By Maggie Zale
The Badger Project
Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan was elected to represent Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District — which includes Madison, Dane County and the surrounding areas — in 2012 after serving 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly. The Democratic incumbent sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which oversees government spending, and has subcommittee assignments to Financial Services and General Government; Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. He also has a leadership position in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of left-wing politicians in the House.
Republican opponent Erik Olsen is a property rights attorney from Madison. The openly pro-Trump candidate’s platform stresses the importance of protecting the 2nd Amendment and ensuring neighborhood safety. His website also claims that he will fight for “world peace” and “combat the deep state.”
In the August primary, Olsen faced Charity Barry, a Madison business owner and won with 56% of the vote to move on to the general.
Barry actually out-raised Olsen with about $120,000 to his $80,000 in the run up to the primary.
Now, Olsen faces an uphill battle against Pocan in a deep blue district that Democrats have held since 1999.
This is the second time Olsen has run against Pocan. In 2022, the Republican candidate lost with about 27% of the popular vote, while Pocan won with 71%.
Olsen is far behind in fundraising. Pocan is sitting on about $870,000, while Olsen only has about $12,000 on hand, according to their most recent reports to the Federal Elections Commission.
Donations to candidates for federal offices from individuals are capped at $3,300 per election, so a person can give a candidate for Congress a max of $6,600 per election cycle, as it includes both a primary and a general. Political action committees that give to multiple candidates can donate up to $5,000 per election, for a total of $10,000 per election cycle.
According to Open Secrets, top donors to Pocan include John Miller of Fox Point, who has given $5,800 this year. Pocan also received $3,300 donations from Darrell Lee Marquis of Peoria, Ill., Joseph Alexander of Madison, Joel Rogers of Madison, Nicholas Alexander of Monona, Hope Harrington of Washington, D.C. and Nelson Helm of Louisville, Kentucky.
Additionally, the Service Employees International Union, American Federation of State/County/Municipal Employees, American Federation of Teachers, Communications Workers of America, NTCA/Rural Broadband Association, Sheet Metal, Air Rail & Transportation Union and Transport Workers Union have all donated the maximum $10,000 to Pocan this year, according to Open Secrets.
The congressman has a mortgage on his house in Dane County and on his Washington D.C. condo, according to this financial disclosure statement that all federal candidates must file. Pocan also owns the printing company Budget Signs and Specialties in Monona.
Meanwhile, Olsen’s largest donations of the 2024 election cycle included $2,800 and $2,700, respectively, from Laurie Clapp and Alan Clapp of Cedarburg, $2,000 from William Nasgovitz of Milwaukee and a $1,500 donation from Jon Aleckson of Mount Horeb, according to Open Secrets.
Olsen owns 18 rental properties in Rock County and two in Dane County, according to his 2024 financial disclosure report.
— The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin.