Nepo baby Michael Alfonso is running on his Trump endorsement, while being financially boosted by his father-in-law, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and transportation-related corporate interests that want to be on Duffy’s good side.
New reporting from Politico shows that corporate interests are keeping Alfonso’s campaign going: after Duffy helped developers of a multi-billion-dollar natural gas export facility, they turned around and donated $125,000 to a super PAC supporting Alfonso.
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Politico: Duffy’s son-in-law gets a natural gas boost
FIRST IN PI — The developers of a multi-billion-dollar natural gas export facility recently donated $125,000 to a group supporting the congressional run of the son-in-law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who holds major sway over their project, our colleagues Daniel L. and Mike Soraghan report.
— Fairwood Peninsula Energy in May donated $125,000 to Northwoods Future PAC, a super PAC supporting Duffy’s son-in-law Michael Alfonso, according to FEC records. It’s the only federal political donation Fairwood Peninsula Energy has ever reported making.
— Alfonso faces a crowded primary on Tuesday in Duffy’s old congressional district in Wisconsin. PI previously reported that Alfonso raised significant PAC donations from transportation industry PACs even though he had no experience in transportation policy.
— In March 2025, Delfin LNG, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fairwood Peninsula Energy, received a license from DOT’s Maritime Administration to develop a deepwater port for exporting natural gas. Delfin thanked Duffy for his “significant work” that he and Energy Secretary Chris Wright did on the project approval, saying Duffy and Wright had the company’s “deep appreciation” for their efforts.
— As secretary of Transportation, Duffy has the power to revoke the license of the uncompleted terminal, which was unsuccessfully challenged in court by three environmental groups.
— The pro-Alfonso super PAC also received $1 million from Duffy’s old campaign account and is supporting Alfonso’s run with ads and mailers. Alfonso campaign manager William Blathras said in a statement that “Michael answers only to the people of Wisconsin’s 7th District.”
— “The desperate attacks against President Trump’s choice to represent WI-7 won’t change the fact that Michael’s allegiance has always been with Wisconsin: where he grew up hunting, fishing, and playing hockey and football, met his wife, worked construction to pay his way through UW–Madison, helped build these communities with his own hands, and is now raising his family,” he said.
— The “massive financial contribution to a Duffy family member” creates conflict-of-interest concerns, said Tyson Slocum, director of the energy program at Public Citizen, which has formally raised concerns about the Delfin project. Duffy should recuse himself from decisions about the project, he added. — “Delfin’s entire business model relies upon some DOT approvals, because it’s an offshore terminal,” Slocum said.
Published: Aug 11, 2026