Kohl’s refuses to sponsor RNC events in Milwaukee

A crushing blow for Trump, retail giant Kohl’s has announced that it will not sponsor any events at the upcoming Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee.

“Kohl’s is not a political organization nor donor and is not sponsoring nor engaging in any specific RNC events,” said a Kohl’s spokesperson. “We support the business community through the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.”

The buzz is building as Republicans and Democrats hustle to lock in corporate backing for their party conventions, all while major brands tread cautiously around the political fray.

‘NO’ to RNC support

Standing tall among Wisconsin’s Fortune 500, Fiserv is set to sponsor the convention directly. However, ManpowerGroup and Kohl’s are taking different routes.

ManpowerGroup is channelling support to the non-profit Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee through contributions to the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC). “We haven’t directly funded the RNC. Instead, MMAC has allocated funds on our and others’ behalf, just as they did for the DNC,” explained a spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, Northwestern Mutual is actively involved, with CEO John Schlifske reportedly spearheading fundraising efforts for the host committee.

Wisconsin’s political landscape is in the spotlight, having been a pivotal state in the last two elections—Trump edged out a win in 2016, but Biden took the state in 2020. Both parties see it as a crucial battleground this November.

Interestingly, Kohl’s has stayed out of the direct funding game for both Republican and Democratic conventions for over a decade, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Kohl’s unease with politically charged events

The decision isn’t hard to decipher. At the Milwaukee RNC convention, Donald Trump is set to become the first convicted felon in American history to receive the presidential nomination of a major party. The Republicans are seemingly embracing a controversial image, proudly presenting themselves in a contentious light.

As the MAGA brand becomes increasingly polarizing, Kohl’s decision highlights the growing unease within the business community towards associating with politically charged events. 

Source: Milwaukee-based retail giant Kohl’s says ‘No’ to sponsoring Republican convention events

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