Ad wars begin in closely watched Wisconsin Supreme Court race, a year after most expensive race in US history

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Ad wars in the hotly contested race for political control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court are beginning.

Republican-backed candidate Brad Schimel is launching a $1.1 million TV ad buy statewide on Tuesday, marking the first spending on TV ads in the closely watched race.

Schimel is Wisconsin’s former Republican attorney general, who lost to current Democratic AG Josh Kaul in 2018. He is currently a Waukesha County judge.

His opponent is Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford.

The race for the open seat will, again, determine the political ideology of the state’s highest court. The election voting period ends April 1.

If Crawford wins, progressives will maintain their 4-3 majority until at least 2028. If Schimel wins, conservatives will win back the majority they lost in 2023.

That race shattered national spending records in a judicial contest, with more than $51 million spent on both sides, based on a tally by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. The group, which tracks spending on campaigns, is estimating that a new record will be set this year.

And, according to Open Secrets, that’s the most money ever spent in a state supreme court race in U.S. history.

The two candidates in this year’s race have raised more money so far than at the same point in the 2023 campaign.

Crawford last week reported raising $2.8 million from individual donors since getting into the race, compared with $2.2 million for Schimel.

Spending by outside groups, including the Democratic and Republican parties, is expected to far exceed what the candidates spend.

Races for Wisconsin Supreme Court are officially nonpartisan, but partisan interests line up behind their preferred candidates.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party has endorsed Crawford.

Schimel, along with being the former GOP AG for one term, supports President-elect Donald Trump.

The state Supreme Court struck down Republican-drawn legislative maps in 2023, which were said to be some of the most gerrymandered in the country.

Republicans are expected to try and reinstate those maps if they win back control.

Pending cases for the court seek to protect abortion access in the state and impede Republican attempts to oust Wisconsin’s nonpartisan elections leader.

A looming fight over the future of public sector union rights also has intensified interest in the race.

Schimel’s ad that launches on Tuesday will run on broadcast and cable TV in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, La Crosse and Wausau, his campaign said Monday.

The winner of the April 1 election will serve a 10-year term.