Wisconsin is one of a handful of states that elect their state supreme court justices in (supposedly) non-partisan elections. But it’s very clear there are partisan bents to every candidate and the make-up of the state court currently leans left with the liberal justices enjoying a 4-3 majority.
On April 1, Leftist judge Susan Crawford and conservative Brad Schimel are facing off in a very tight race to replace Ann Walsh Bradley, whose ten-year term is up this year. This election could entrench a liberal Supreme Court of Wisconsin (SCOWI) majority for years or flip the court to the right.
The polls are a dead heat at the moment:
🚨 WMC Polling Alert! 🚨
WI Supreme Court poll shows tied race:
— 47% Brad Schimel
— 47% Susan Crawford
— 5% UndecidedTight race for State Superintendent:
— 30% Brittany Kinzer
— 33% Jill Underly
— 38% Undecided @OnMessageInc poll of 600 likely Spring election…— Scott Manley (@ManleyWMC) March 12, 2025
Crawford must lose, because there are big issues facing the state and nation, including the redistricting of maps. SCOWI could give Democrats an advantage in Congress under redistricting. Crawford also opposes Voter ID. On top of that, school choice, concealed carry, and Wisconsin’s union-busting Act 10 are all current laws that would be on the chopping block.
Last night, Schimel and Crawford faced off in a debate, and here are some highlights:
Far-left judge Susan Crawford fought to abolish Wisconsin’s voter ID law
But tonight, she’s participating in a debate where ID is required to attend 🤔
Wisconsin deserves a Supreme Court Justice who will fight for election integrity, not work to undermine it! https://t.co/oE5K9tlHJ7
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 12, 2025
The irony is not lost on us.
Like all Leftists, Crawford is a hypocrite.
She’s also soft-on-crime.
Moderator: “You did sentence a child sex offender to four years in prison after a prosecutor requested ten, do you regret that sentence?”
WI Supreme Court Candidate Crawford, who is backed by defund-police-groups: “I don’t regret that sentence.” pic.twitter.com/mLb6ODZm7w
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 13, 2025
She gives child sex offenders light sentences.
And here’s more on her record from The Center Square:
Schimel’s campaign on Monday launched a new ad featuring a victim of crime.
The ad, called, ‘Tell Me,’ recounts a story from a woman named Laurie, whose sister was murdered.
‘When my sister was murdered 15 years ago, Brad Schimel kept his promise to us. He told us he was gonna get us justice, and he did,’ the ad states. ‘When I see these commercials attacking him, I have a lot to say about that, because Brad would kneel next to my mom and hold her hands. And you’re gonna tell me that’s a person that doesn’t care about victims?’
Crime, and the judges’ past rulings from the bench, has become one of the major issues in the race for the high court.
Schimel has spent weeks hammering on Crawford for a list of cases that he says shows she is soft on crime.
Those include the 2019 case of Antonio Gentry, who was on trial for shooting a man in the head. Prosecutors recommended a total of 50 years in prison, but Crawford sentenced Gentry to 30 and gave him a chance to get out early on parole.
There’s also the two cases involving Kevin Welton. He was charged in 2018 with the felony sexual assault of a child. Welton could have been sentenced to up to 100 years in prison for the sexual assault of a two children under the age of 8. Crawford sentenced him to four years in prison. Welton is now out of prison.
This is all utterly disqualifying.
But there’s more.
Susan Crawford won’t say if the Constitution protects boys from playing in girls’ sports. But look at who supports her:
👎 Emily’s List
👎Citizens Action of Wisconsin
👎 Indivisible
👎A Better WisconsinAll groups that support men in women’s sports.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 13, 2025
They also support abortion-on-demand, on the taxpayer dime and other Left-wing policies.
And as Bernie Sanders rants and rails about Elon Musk putting money into this race, Crawford is trying to distance herself from George Soros:
Far-left radical Susan Crawford refuses to say if she embraces her endorsement from radical billionaire democrat donor George Soros. pic.twitter.com/g0AYJcyBrT
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 13, 2025
So she knows it’s a losing issue, or she’d brag about it.
She’d also be soft on illegal immigration and oppose ICE
Crawford’s record:
🔴Appeared at a Democrat fundraiser offering to sell
congressional seats
🔴Gave sweetheart sentence to child rapists
🔴Endorsed by anti-ICE & defund-the-police groups
🔴Labeled voter ID draconian pic.twitter.com/4pIE4HCJHs— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 13, 2025
As we get closer to the election, we’ll bring you more about this very important race.