Flyers mailed in Germantown School Board race encourage votes for a man who isn’t running
By Emily Pofahl
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GERMANTOWN, Wis. (WISN) — Voters in Germantown received flyers in the mail last week encouraging them to vote for Eric Brown, promoting him as a “conservative” candidate for the Germantown school board.
“Get out and vote or the liberal activists will,” the flyer reads in all capital letters.
The catch is, though, Brown isn’t running for the position.
Brown, the current board vice president, said he was surprised by the mailers and, in a statement to WISN 12 News, said he filed his non-candidacy paperwork in December.
“Every decision has been guided by the same goal: doing what is best for our students, our staff, and our community,” Brown said. “I hope the individual who fills seat number No. 5 for the Germantown School Board will find this role as rewarding as I have.”
The flyers were distributed by the Virginia-based The 1776 Project political action committee. The 1776 Project PAC is the fourth-largest campaign spender in Wisconsin in 2026, according to state ethics commission data, spending more than $240,000. On its website, the PAC said it is “dedicated to electing conservative school board members.”
Two candidates, Molly Bussie and Richard Yu, are running to replace Brown. Bussie said she received one of the flyers at her home last week. Yu described the situation as a misinformation campaign.
Despite the PAC’s political stance, the school board member position is nonpartisan on the ballot.
“I want to keep politics out of it. Because at the end of the day, it’s about the kids,” Yu said.
“I don’t think it should be political, no matter what your personal political beliefs are,” Bussie said.
Neither candidate was comfortable with large PACs from out-of-state playing a role in local school board races.
“Do your research. Find out what’s going to be on your ballot. Research the candidates,” Bussie said.
“We aren’t going to let any outside organization pit us against each other and divide us with misinformation. We are much stronger and smarter than that,” Yu said.
Attempts to reach the PAC for comment were unsuccessful, and Brown remains listed on their website as an endorsed candidate.
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