AJ McCarron might be the “ultimate outsider candidate,” but his campaign is being managed by one of the most well known and established consulting firms in the nation—complete with a treasurer that’s been investigated multiple times in states all over the country for playing loose with the rules.
According to documents filed last week with the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office establishing McCarron’s principal campaign committee for his run for lieutenant governor, the first-time candidate’s campaign is being managed by Timothy and Thomas Datwyler. The Datwylers are well known campaign consultants within Republican circles. Thomas Datwyler currently is featured on the Axiom Strategies website as the CEO of AxCapital, which touts his experience handling campaign finance and compliance.
Thomas Datwyler, who is listed as McCarron’s treasurer, is also no stranger to controversy and serious allegations of improper campaign finance dealings. He was accused in 2024 in a Department of Justice complaint by a GOP SuperPAC in Nevada of committing wire fraud while acting as a “shadow treasurer” for the campaign of disgraced former New York Representative George Santos.
Also last year, Thomas Datwyler was accused of more impropriety in Tennessee, after dark money groups he controlled dumped more than $600,000 into the state senate campaign of the son of a prominent Tennessee congresswoman. Suspecting collusion, the Tennessee’s AG’s Office investigated the alleged scheme but ultimately couldn’t find conclusive evidence that an illegal act had occurred, primarily because Datwyler refused to be interviewed, a report stated.
While that investigation was underway, Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles admitted that his campaign, which listed Datwyler as its treasurer, was under investigation by the FBI for issues with campaign finance filings.
Datwyler also was investigated in 2023 by the Mississippi AG for similar activity and he faced more allegations in Minnesota in 2022. He was fined more than $150,000 by the Federal Election Commission for improprieties in Indiana, fined about $3,300 by the FEC for filing issues with a candidate in Washington, was hit with almost $6,000 in fines for issues in Illinois and paid more than $11,000 in FEC fines in Georgia—all in 2023.
While trouble seems to follow Datwyler, that has not stopped clients from rolling in. An investigation by the website Accountable.us earlier this year found that Datwyler was listed as treasurer on more than 380 Republican campaigns around the country. He lists clients such Representative Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah.
