MADISON, Wis. — The former editor of The Progressive magazine is taking over as leader of a campaign finance watchdog group that maintains a frequently visited database of political contributions.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign announced Thursday that Matt Rothschild is replacing Mike McCabe as the group's executive director.

McCabe had announced in April that he was leaving the group after 15 years as its leader. He was only the second director of the independent group that was founded in 1995.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is a frequent critic of the role money plays in politics.

Rothschild says in a statement that "We will never have real democracy in Wisconsin until we curb the power of money in politics, and I look forward to throwing my energy into this crucial battle."