U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), the Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, stated during a Wednesday debate that his 2020 efforts to oppose the certification of presidential election results were motivated by private funding provided to election offices. Tiffany cited grants from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, an organization funded by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, as a reason for his actions.
The debate, held at Marquette University Law School on October 21, 2026, addressed Tiffany’s past support for Donald Trump’s challenges to the 2020 election outcome. In that cycle, more than 200 Wisconsin communities received a combined $10 million in grants from the Zuckerberg-funded group. Tiffany used the term "Zuckerbucks" to describe the funds, stating that Wisconsin citizens did not want private money involved in the process.
Tiffany further explained his 2020 objections by citing guidance provided by clerks in Milwaukee and Dane counties. He said those offices advised voters they could claim "indefinitely confined" status due to the pandemic, which allowed them to receive absentee ballots without presenting a photo ID. Tiffany previously supported attempts to disqualify 220,000 ballots from those counties and voted against counting electoral votes from Pennsylvania and Arizona.
His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, described Tiffany's explanation as inadequate, noting that Tiffany did not allege "anything nefarious" or procedural errors, but rather a disagreement with how money was spent. Crowley questioned whether Tiffany could be trusted to certify the 2028 presidential election results. In response, Tiffany stated he would certify the 2028 results regardless of who wins.
The focus on Milwaukee and Dane counties, which were the targets of the $10 million in grants and the attempted disqualification of 220,000 ballots, highlights a divide in the state. The outcome of the gubernatorial race will determine which official oversees the state's election apparatus heading into the 2028 presidential cycle, in a state where five of the last seven presidential contests were decided by less than one percentage point.
Tiffany’s past votes against certification remains a theme for candidates. While Tiffany committed to certifying the 2028 results during the debate, his past actions in Pennsylvania and Arizona continue to be cited. Wisconsin voters will decide the governorship in the upcoming midterm elections. The winner will be tasked with implementing the constitutional ban on private funding.