Wisconsin voters head to the polls Tuesday in what has become the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history, with spending exceeding $90 million, according to a tally by the Brennan Center for Justice. That broke the previous record of $51 million for the state’s Supreme Court race in 2023.
Wisconsin voters are choosing between Republican-backed Brad Schimel and Democratic-supported Susan Crawford, who have starkly different views. The winner will determine the ideological balance of Wisconsin’s highest court, which could rule on critical issues, including abortion, voting rights and redistricting in this key battleground state ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election.
Democrats and Republicans have called it one of the most consequential elections since Donald Trump’s presidency. “Many see this as a litmus test. The first-time voters may get the chance to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s agenda,” senior congressional correspondent for ABC News Rachel Scott said.
Scott interviewed a Glendale voter who has voted for Trump three times, including in the most recent election. He said he’s backing liberal county judge Crawford in this race.
“He believes that President Trump, by supporting the overturning of Roe v. Wade, sent this issue back down to the states,” reported Scott. “He believes [Crawford] most aligns with his views on abortion rights.”
The unprecedented spending and partisan nature of what is traditionally a nonpartisan judicial race has raised questions about whether this represents a new standard for state Supreme Court contests nationwide.