- April 1 election decides ideological control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court
- Over $40M spent amid Musk-funded GOP ads and Soros-linked donations
- Abortion access and redistricting laws face potential upheaval
- Outcome seen as bellwether for Trump-era political battles
Wisconsin’s judicial landscape braces for transformation as voters prepare to elect a new state Supreme Court justice on April 1. The race between Republican-backed Brad Schimel and Democrat-supported Susan Crawford has become a proxy war for national interests, with over $40 million poured into advertising—a record for state judicial contests. At stake is the court’s 4-3 liberal majority, which could shift decisively on issues like abortion rights and electoral redistricting.
Schimel, a former attorney general turned Waukesha County judge, faces scrutiny over his past defense of Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban. Though he recently stated he’d “respect the voters’ will,” critics cite his 2015 push to enforce the pre-Civil War statute. Crawford, a Dane County judge and former Planned Parenthood attorney, has emphasized her commitment to judicial independence despite GOP attacks linking her to liberal megadonors. Marquette University polls show 31% of voters remain undecided, suggesting turnout efforts by groups like Musk’s America PAC could tip the scales.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s influence looms large, with affiliated PACs spending $7.6 million on anti-Crawford ads and voter mobilization. This mirrors a growing trend of federal actors shaping state courts—a shift experts say threatens judicial impartiality. “When out-of-state billionaires bankroll these races, it erodes public trust,” notes Marquette law professor Chad Oldfather. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion law remains dormant but consequential; if the court rules it enforceable post-election, 92% of clinics could close statewide.
The race also serves as a litmus test for Trump’s enduring clout. Having carried Wisconsin in 2024, the GOP sees a Schimel victory as validation of its agenda. Yet Crawford’s grassroots network, bolstered by EMILY’s List and teachers’ unions, highlights the state’s urban-rural divide. With early voting underway, analysts warn low Milwaukee turnout could hand Republicans an edge—a scenario that might foreshadow 2026 midterm strategies.
As the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history, Wisconsin’s battle underscores how state courts have become frontline arenas for national policy fights. From gerrymandered maps to voting rights, the April 1 winner will shape precedents affecting 5.9 million residents—and potentially, the 2028 presidential electoral map.