Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are set to campaign across several key swing states on Wednesday, with their paths crossing in Wisconsin. Trump is slated to hold an event in Green Bay alongside retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, a former local sports star.
Favre, who played the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers and is a three-time NFL MVP and a Super Bowl champion, has been a consistent supporter of Trump and various Republican candidates. However, he has recently made headlines due to his involvement in a welfare fund controversy originating from Mississippi, his home state.
Currently, Favre, 55, is not facing any criminal charges but is included among many individuals and organizations being sued by Mississippi as the state works to reclaim funds that were allegedly misappropriated. He has returned approximately $1 million he received for speaking engagements funded by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, although state auditor Shad White, who is affiliated with the Republican Party, claims that Favre did not fulfill his speaking obligations. Moreover, Favre reportedly owes close to $730,000 in interest on those funds.
Favre has utilized social media to express support for Trump while criticizing Harris, the Democratic nominee for president. “In all the elections I’ve seen over my lifetime, I’ve never seen one where there was so much hate,” he posted recently on X, reflecting on the current political climate.
As Election Day draws closer, with only six days remaining, Harris is scheduled to journey from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Madison, Wisconsin, before heading to Raleigh, North Carolina. Conversely, Trump will be traveling to Green Bay after attending an event in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Wisconsin’s significance is well known among political candidates, having been a critical battleground in presidential elections. The state often decides races with narrow margins, having swung to Trump by just 23,000 votes in 2016 and flipped to Democrat Joe Biden by a margin of 20,000 votes in 2020.
By enlisting Favre for his campaign, Trump aims to leverage the solid support for the Packers that exists in Wisconsin, as well as the nostalgia for the team’s former quarterback. However, Favre’s connection to the welfare scandal complicates his role as a campaign figure in the state.
Historically, Mississippi has consistently ranked among the poorest states in the U.S., and a limited portion of its federal welfare funding has assisted families in need. Reports by White and law enforcement officials indicate that significant amounts of welfare money, totaling tens of millions, were mismanaged by the Mississippi Department of Human Services between 2016 and 2019, benefiting individuals with political connections.
Favre Enterprises received two disbursements totaling $1.1 million from a nonprofit called the Mississippi Community Education Center. These funds were directed towards a volleyball arena at the University of Southern Mississippi, where Favre agreed to spearhead fundraising efforts after his daughter joined the volleyball team there in 2017.
The former director of the Mississippi Community Education Center, Nancy New, and her son Zachary, who was involved with the nonprofit, both pleaded guilty in April 2022 for misusing welfare funds. They are awaiting sentencing and have committed to testify against others implicated in the scandal.
In September, Favre testified before a congressional committee investigating the shortcomings of welfare programs meant to assist struggling families. U.S. House Republicans have indicated that the welfare mismanagement scandal, which includes Favre, underscores the pressing need for significant reforms in the TANF program.
During his congressional testimony, Favre revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease earlier this year.
