By james art Residents driving around Madison may see a surprising sight turning onto an eastbound street: a billboard that loudly proclaims “Democrats for Trump.”
Here’s another possible surprise: The signs are associated with someone who supports former President Donald Trump, but she’s a conservative.
The group behind the billboards is Concerned Americans for America. The founder, according to the group’s website, is Terri Capsay, who says she splits her time between Eagle River and Naples, Florida after years of working and living in New York and Chicago.
Capsay does not appear to have been a Democrat, writing on the website that she “spent most of her adult years as a noncommittal ‘stealth conservative'” in Chicago.
Her group claims the 2020 election was “stolen” and Kapsay herself caused concern that the 2024 elections will not be free and fair.
When Cap Times contacted Capsay to ask about the billboards, she asked that all questions be submitted in writing via text message. She has not responded to questions sent since.
There appear to be at least four “Democrats for Trump” billboards in Wisconsin. One sits at the corner of North First Street and East Johnson Street in east Madison. Posts on social media suggest other signs have appeared in the city centre Milwaukee, Kenosha and Appleton.
Federal Election Commission reports show Concerned Americans for America is buying other billboard space in Wisconsin, which the group’s website says are being used to promote messages such as “Safety. security. Strength. Americans for Trump” and “Tired of high prices? Vote Trump/Vance.” At least one of those billboards is also in Madison, near Wisconsin Highway 30.
Between July and October, Concerned Americans for America spent more than $466,000 on billboards in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, federal campaign finance records show.
About $104,000 of the $453,130 raised during that period came from Kapsay herself. The group’s donors come from all over the country, although most of them live in Florida.
The group also spent money in 2022 supporting U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, who defeated former Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes to retain his seat.
Capsay said on the group’s website that Concerned Americans for America initially worked to help Trump in Florida but turned to Wisconsin races because it felt there was more value there.
Trump has taken significant offense to groups that have historically identified with Democrats, both in Wisconsin and across the country. This includes union members, Hispanic voters and black voters.
A poll by Marquette University Law School in the last few months shows that 1% to 2% of Democrats support Trump. In one poll, no one said they supported him.