The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 3, 2025
In the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, an estimated $76 million dollars was spent – shattering a U.S. record for judicial races. But will it result in fairer Congressional voting districts in Wisconsin?
The Associated Press called the race for liberal Judge Susan Crawford, who has a 55 to 45% lead. With all that money, the margin is almost identical to 2023’s race, electing liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz.
Wisconsin Politics estimates Crawford raised over $24 million dollars, largely from the Wisconsin Democratic Party via liberal donor George Soros, wealthy Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman.
Her opponent, former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, raised $12 million, but SuperPACs supporting him spent tens of millions more. Elon Musk personally and through his two Super PACs spent an estimated $20 Million, and ULINE founder Richard Uihlein spent another $4 million through the Fair Courts America PAC.
Why was all this money spent? Wisconsin’s voting districts have been some of the most gerrymandered in the country, and the election of Janet Protasiewicz resulted in the first fair state legislative maps in two decades. Last year, the state supreme court passed on revisiting the state’s gerrymandered Congressional maps. The court’s 4-3 liberal majority may change that, and THAT could change control of Congress.
We’ve linked the Open Secrets data at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Open Secrets – Wisconsin Supreme Court race breaks records and draws controversy as billionaires weigh in
Brennan Center for Justice – Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Breaks Spending Record, Fueled by Out-of-State Money
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Wisconsin 2025 spring election results: Supreme Court, DPI, voter ID referendum and Milwaukee races
USA Today – Liberal wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race; GOP holds Florida congressional seats: Recap
Axios – Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election is the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history
American Democracy Minute – After Cleaning Up Gerrymandered State Senate & Assembly Districts, the Wisconsin Supreme Court Passes on Congressional Districts
Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Common Cause, Public Citizen
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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