MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Campaign finance reports covering the first six months of this year revealed GOP nominee Tom Tiffany will enter the general election campaign with a huge financial edge. In a crowded Democratic primary, State Rep. Francesca Hong and State Sen. Kelda Roys had the most money on hand to begin July, unless a wild amendment from embattled Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez is accurate.

Hong and Roys reported the most cash on hand, with more than $400,000 in their accounts. Rodriguez initially reported having about $35,000 on hand when reports were due at midnight Thursday. 

In an unexplained twist, the Rodriguez campaign issued an amended report late Thursday afternoon, which showed she had about $640,000 on hand.

The big change was in Rodriguez's opening balance, covering the amount prior to January. That number swung from $29,000 on her initial report to $603,000 in the amended filing.

UW-Milwaukee Political Science Professor Mordecai Lee spoke to CBS 58 before the amended filing. He said the finance report, coming on the heels of Rodriguez firing her campaign manager over a January report riddled with inaccuracies, was damning to her campaign.

"I think it's inevitable that she's not gonna be able to recover from this," Lee said. "She'll either become a de facto walking dead politically or she might face the reality of it and decide she's gonna end her campaign."

As far as fundraising, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes led Democrats with more than $800,000 taken in. Hong was second-best in fundraising with more than $700,000 collected over the first six months of the year, followed by former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, Rodriguez, and Roys.

On the spending side, Barnes had the most expenditures of any candidate at $1.1 million. Brennan has spent $850,000, followed by Rodriguez, Roys and Hong.

UW-Madison Communications Professor Mike Wagner said Hong was the most efficient candidate, surging to frontrunner status despite spending the least money and still having the most cash on hand.

He said Hong has done an admirable job of rallying support, largely through social media and events across the state. To get across the finish line, however, Wagner said she'd need to commit a significant share of her money to TV ads.

"New media has served her very well," Wagner said. "But new media alone cannot be enough to win an election in Wisconsin."

On the Republican side, Tiffany got a clear boost from avoiding a contested primary. The Northwoods congressman reported receiving $8.7 million during the first half of 2026.

Despite spending more than $7 million, Tiffany reported having $3 million in the bank heading into the general election.

Tiffany's filing showed $6.1 million of his haul came from the Republican Party of Wisconsin. The state party's transfers align with massive donations from three of Wisconsin's wealthiest residents.

Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein each gave the Wisconsin GOP $2 million, and Diane Hendricks gave the state party $2.5 million.

"The Republicans know who to give to," Wagner said. "Tiffany is going to be their candidate, and so, they don't have to hedge their bets and give to some or split their money in some kind of way, so the Democrats have had a harder time raising money until they get through the primary."