Wealthy tech entrepreneur launches super PAC to help brother flip Michigan U.S. House seat

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, has significantly more campaign cash than her closest Republican rival, but a new super PAC bankrolled by the deep-pocketed brother of one GOP candidate is looking to level the playing field.

Independent political action committee West Michigan for Change is gearing up for a “six-figure” ad buy to support Republican candidate Paul Hudson’s bid for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District, according to Rick Gorka, the super PAC’s spokesperson.

The super PAC was formed by Hudson’s brother, Honey co-founder Ryan Hudson, as a way to support his campaign in the August Republican primary and, if he wins, the match-up against Scholten in November, Gorka said.

Honey is a coupon-clipping browser extension that was purchased in 2020 for $4 billion by PayPal.

Campaign finance filings released this week show Ryan Hudson is the super PAC’s only contributor so far after giving $1 million. Gorka said they are courting other contributors.

“The congresswoman is going to be very well funded, and that’s the power of the incumbency, but our effort is already able to level the playing field,” said Gorka. “(It) will be a very competitive race that could potentially decide the balance in Congress.”

An ad on the super PAC’s website touts Paul Hudson as a commonsense conservative who will lower the cost of living and enforce immigration laws, in contrast to “extreme liberals.”

The 3rd Congressional District covers Grand Rapids as well as portions of Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties. Scholten is seeking a second term representing the district after winning the seat in 2022 by 13 points over Republican John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official.

Scholten, an immigration attorney who worked in the U.S. Department of Justice during President Barack Obama’s administration, is the first Democrat to represent Grand Rapids in Congress since 1977.

Besides East Grand Rapids attorney Paul Hudson, the other Republicans competing in the Aug. 6 primary are Grand Haven financial advisor Michael Markey Jr. and former Army Green Beret Jason Ickes, a Grandville resident.

Hudson in 2022 ran for a seat on the Michigan Supreme Court but lost. Markey ran for governor that same year but was disqualified after the Michigan Board of State Canvassers determined he, and four other candidates, had thousands of fraudulent signatures and not enough valid signatures to make the ballot.

Campaign finance filings show Hudson has a slight lead in fundraising and far more cash on hand than his opponents. The filings also show that a number of big-name West Michigan Republican donors and business leaders have coalesced around his candidacy.

Six members of the DeVos family -- Dan, Doug, Dick, Maria, Pamella and Cheri DeVos -- have contributed to Hudson’s campaign so far, as have Joan and Charlie Secchia, the wife and son of late Republican donor and businessman Peter Secchia.

Other big-name donors include former Meijer CEO Mark Murray, Rockford Construction CEO Mike VanGessel, Autocam CEO John Kennedy, Meritage Hospital Group CEO Robert Schermer, former Perrigo CEO Mike Jandernoa and others.

Hudson has received $268,471 in contributions so far and has $342,246 on hand compared to the $208,243 raised by Markey, who has $137,698 in cash on hand.

Ickes has raised $29,961 and has $9,483 on hand.

Scholten has more than five times the campaign war chest than Hudson, with $1,798,238 on hand after raising $2,387,899.

That’s where West Michigan for Change comes in to close the gap. However, Gorka said, it still comes down to the candidate in the end.

“We know this is a very tough race. We know this is going to be a very competitive district and this effort is going to be very important for the campaign, but a lot of this is still candidate driven,” he said.

“It comes down to candidates, it comes down to their message and it comes down to their ability to connect with voters. So while these outside groups are helpful, the campaign still has to close the deal with the voters, because that’s ultimately who is on the ballot.”

Super PACs can raise and spend an unlimited amount of money. The money can be spent on advocating for or against candidates and issues.

Unlike traditional political action committees, super PACs cannot donate directly to candidates nor can they directly coordinate with the candidate who is benefiting from their advocacy.

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