Axios Reports ALL WI swing voters stay with Trump; Steil honors those who gave their lives in service.

Honoring the Fallen This Memorial Day

As we head into Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women who gave their lives in uniform to protect the freedoms we often take for granted. This solemn day is not for all who served—that’s Veterans Day—but for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

It is their memory that reminds us of what’s at stake: the freedom to elect our leaders, speak our minds, and hold government accountable.

Congressman Bryan Steil reflected on that sacrifice and those who likewise risk their lives to serve when we met with him Thursday:

“When I ask service members why they risk their lives to protect us, they never say, ‘because America used to be the greatest country.’ They serve to protect the greatest country.”

To the families of the fallen: thank you. Your loved ones’ courage gives us the freedom to focus on the critical issues below.

This week’s highlights:

• Congressman Steil Delivers on ActBlue and Crypto Accountability
• Record Military Recruitment & ALL WI Focus Group Swing Voters Stick with Trump
• Thompson & Johnson Call for Unity at WI GOP Convention
• A Balanced Vision on Tackling the Deficit

1. Congressman Steil Delivers on ActBlue and Crypto Accountability

This week, the Wisconsin Faith & Freedom team had productive conversations with Congressman Bryan Steil and his staff, as he continues to lead on two of our movement’s top priorities: stopping an unverified ActBlue process that makes foreign donations as easy as voting in states without voter ID requirements—and advancing a clear regulatory framework for digital assets like cryptocurrency.

A decade ago, we began sounding the alarm on ActBlue’s unverified donation system and proposed reforms through HR4177, based on our 2015 white paper. It’s encouraging to see Congressman Steil now championing these reforms at the federal level. We are actively taking this fight to the states through our 501c4 by working with legislators to draft model legislation that mirrors these federal efforts and restores election integrity at the grassroots level.

• In 2017, we presented our strategies to Silicon Valley leaders at the invitation of legendary tech investor Tim Draper—an early Bitcoin advocate widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in cryptocurrency’s rise. To our surprise, many of these innovators were just as intrigued by how our old-school, door-to-door ground game had flipped three state legislative seats and defeated a sitting Majority Leader—despite being outspent $5 million to $200,000—as they were in digital campaigning. So when Elon Musk began emphasizing door-to-door strategy in 2024, we were among the least surprised.

On digital assets, Steil is now recognized as one of the strongest voices in Congress. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and AI, he has helped repeal harmful regulations that treated developers like traditional financial institutions, supported stablecoin innovation, and opposed surveillance-style CBDCs that threaten financial privacy. He even appeared at the “Stand With Crypto” event during the Republican National Convention to reinforce his commitment.

Wisconsin’s own Chris Lawrence, a longtime leader in the school choice movement and a campaign school instructor for Wisconsin Faith & Freedom, praised Steil’s efforts:

“When I look for a public official who not only understands the crypto space but actually advances real solutions, Bryan Steil is at the top of the list. He’s doing the hard work on everything from decentralized protocols to privacy protections. That kind of vision and commitment is exactly what we need from our leaders.”

2. Record Military Recruitment & ALL WI Focus Group Swing Voters Stick with Trump

As we mark Memorial Day 2025, patriotism is surging—and the numbers prove it. The U.S. Army just posted its biggest recruiting month in 15 years, with 10,726 new enlistees in the month following President Trump’s election, as reported by the Washington Examiner and others. This dramatic shift reflects a new military focus: protecting America, rather than promoting political agendas like increasing the percentage of transgender officers.

Part of the renewed enthusiasm stems from strategic initiatives like President Trump’s “golden dome” missile defense plan—an effort we’ve championed since we brought Super Bowl champion linebacker Riki Ellison to Wisconsin two decades ago to launch the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. The only thing I hated about bringing Riki to communities throughout Wisconsin is he made me get up at 5 am before every press conference to lift weights and run.

This revival in national pride is mirrored in voter sentiment. A new Axios focus group report confirms the trend we outlined in our recent Newsmax column (linked here): regret is running high among those who voted for Kamala Harris, while swing voters in Wisconsin are doubling down on Trump.

In fact, every voter in the Axios swing group—those who voted for Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024—said they would vote for Trump again. While about one-quarter of them said they don’t approve of Trump personally, none expressed regret over their 2024 vote. This undercuts the narrative that slight dips in approval ratings equate to eroding support—these voters may be conflicted on style, but they’re resolute on substance.

3. Thompson & Johnson Call for Unity at WI GOP Convention

The theme at last weekend’s Republican Party of Wisconsin Convention was unity. That message was delivered powerfully by Senator Ron Johnson and Governor Tommy Thompson, two of only four Republicans who have won major Wisconsin statewide races (President, Governor, or U.S. Senate) since Ronald Reagan.

Together with Scott Walker and Donald Trump, they represent the only four Republicans to win any of Wisconsin’s 30 major statewide elections over the past four decades. Their combined record is 12 wins and just 3 losses, with an average victory margin of +7%. When any other Republican is on the ballot, the party is 0 for 18.

Governor Thompson’s impassioned speech called for an end to internal bickering and a return to the kind of disciplined unity that wins elections. His is a voice of experience—the only Wisconsin Republican to win four gubernatorial races, all by double digits.