Brian Haywood used his own money and alimony to get three conservative bills on Washington’s November ballot.
Opponents are now hoping Mr. Heywood’s wealth and audacity will help defeat the plan this fall.
Haywood is the main villain in the first campaign commercial, which opposes policies such as repealing the state’s cap-and-trade system, abolishing capital gains taxes and voluntaryizing long-term care programs.
“Don’t be fooled. Hedge fund mogul Brian Haywood’s series of voting measures will have a devastating impact on our state,” begins the 30-second spot, which began streaming last month. It concludes they are “greedy and deceitful” and will cut “billions of dollars” from schools, early learning, transport, aged care and environmental protection.
Heywood said he is eager to fight back and may even appear in commercials for supporters of the initiative. “I don’t think they’ve ever dealt with someone like me before. I’m going to lean into it,” he said. “I’m happy to stand by what I do.”
Behind the anti-initiative ad campaign is Defend Washington, a coalition of progressive groups and statewide unions for teachers, health care workers and government workers. The political committee was launched by Civic Ventures, a self-described “small group of political troublemakers” founded by billionaire venture capitalist Nick Hanauer.
Defend Washington spokesman Sandeep Kaushik declined to say how much airtime was purchased or where the ads were being streamed.
Although it’s still too early, the goal is to reach people preparing to vote in the August primary, he said.
“Some targeted audiences are starting to pay more attention,” he says. “We think there is an opportunity to do early voter education for these audiences, especially to look behind the curtain and see who is behind these policies. Please.”
And Kaushik said their research gave them confidence that voters would reject the effort if they heard more about Haywood. “We have done our homework,” he said.
Mr Heywood dismissed the campaign and its supporters as “full of rubbish”.
He said the ad was “not original in any way.” “They’re trying to get people in the media to write about this.”
Haywood has been keeping a low profile since founding Let’s Go Washington and funneling millions of dollars into successful signature-gathering efforts for six initiatives to Congress in 2023.
The Democratic-controlled Congress adopted bills dealing with police pursuits, parental rights and taxes.
Voters will decide the fate of the remaining three, which target major social and environmental policy changes pushed by the state’s Democratic Party.
In addition to “Save Washington,” other political committees are running separate campaigns opposing the measures.
Haywood points out that some ultra-wealthy individuals are funding these efforts.
Bill Gates, the billionaire who founded Microsoft, and the company’s former chief executive, Steve Ballmer, have also contributed or pledged money to fight the measure, according to filings with the Public Disclosure Committee. He is said to be one of the people who did this.
“Billionaires are bullying billionaires,” Heywood said. “If this is the best of their creativity, we’re going to stop them.”
