Two Wisconsin candidates face scrutiny over extramarital dating site accounts

Two candidates running for the Wisconsin Legislature are facing scrutiny after leaked records revealed past accounts on extramarital dating websites.

The disclosures, stemming primarily from a data breach of Ashley Madison and AdultFriendFinder, link state Rep. Pat Snyder (R-Weston) and Democratic Assembly candidate David Liners to platforms marketed toward married people seeking affairs.

Rep. Pat Snyder

According to reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Snyder was active on both Ashley Madison and AdultFriendFinder. Snyder, who has been married for over four decades, wrote, “I’m not changing my life, I just want to improve it to the tune of one woman,” on his AdultFriendFinder account. The account was active from 2009-15; he was first elected in 2016.

Snyder initially denied being active on the websites and claimed that his email must have been hacked. After the Sentinel asked about credit card payments linked to his home address, he confirmed his activity.

“Nearly two decades ago, during a rocky period in my marriage I made a foolish mistake and signed up for an online dating website,” Snyder told the Sentinel via email. “As a result, my wife and I went to counseling. While it was a tough period for us, we worked through it and the damage it caused, and we remain happily married today.”

Snyder, 69, has represented Wisconsin’s 85th State Assembly District since 2017 and chairs the Committee on Children and Families. After the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the state’s gerrymandered legislative maps in 2023 — which were drawn by Republicans — Snyder narrowly won reelection by 1,900 votes in 2024. His race is expected to be competitive again in 2026.

David Liners

Liners, a former Catholic priest, is running in the Democratic primary for Assembly District 21, which encompasses parts of Oak Creek and Greenfield. The Sentinel reported that Liners also had an active Ashley Madison account from 2011-13.

“I have been a pretty dull, responsible guy. I’d love to break out of that (at least a little),” his account said. “I’d like to find someone interesting and understanding for a long-term, occasional relationship.”

Liners, who has been married for nearly three decades, told the Sentinel that he decided the account was “stupid” and never met anyone in person.

“The internet was young. I singed up for it. You know, I kept hearing these ads on the radio,” Liners told the Sentinel. “I probably exchanged three or four emails with people, and then thought, ‘This is stupid.’ And that was basically it.”

Liners claims he later told his wife and that he does not believe the issue would impact his work if he is elected. Liners will face Oak Creek Mayor Daniel J. Bukiewicz in the Aug. 11 primary election. Republican candidate Dylan Pfaffenback is running unopposed in the GOP primary.