Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan will be attending his first fundraiser for Bryan Steil when he visits Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district on Thursday, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
The two sources declined to say where the event will take place or how much a ticket will cost.
Ryan’s attendance will mark the first time he’s gone to a fundraiser for Steil since his endorsement for a seat that he’s held for over a decade.
Spokespersons for Ryan and Steil declined to comment.
Steil once worked for Ryan as an aide and is currently in a primary battle with two other Republican candidates for the 1st district, a race that’s ranked as a toss-up by Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Ryan on Thursday will also be at the ceremonial grand opening of the new Foxconn factory along with President Donald Trump and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Ryan joining Steil at a campaign fundraiser is the first clear indication that the speaker will be lending him a hand to boost the campaign's financial war chest.
The speaker's joint fundraising committee, Team Ryan, is still active as he travels the country assisting Republican candidates in vulnerable House districts. It is ranked No. 1 in the total amount of campaign cash that it's raised, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
So far, the committee has brought in $55 million, far exceeding the second-ranked Make America Great Again Committee, a joint fundraising committee that supports Trump's 2020 ambitions and the Republican National Committee.
Steil for his part has found a way to stay in the game despite the five other GOP candidates vying for Ryan's seat.
In the first week of his campaign in April, Steil raised $250,000 through a mix of small and large donors.
However, the two Democratic candidates are dominating the district in the fundraising battle.
Democratic front-runner Randy Bryce, has raised more than $4 million and has $2 million on hand. Cathy Myers, the other Democrat running for the seat, has raked in $752,252 since she entered the race.
