Hope for Wisconsin Voters to Champion Democracy in Supreme Court Race

Democracy is at stake in Wisconsin on Tuesday — it could be compromised if the Democratic candidate emerges victorious in the state Supreme Court election.

If Judge Susan Crawford defeats Republican ex-Attorney General Brad Schimel, the court will shift towards liberal majority, enabling rulings that could overturn democratically established laws and dictate partisan congressional redistricting.

This gerrymandering could potentially secure two additional congressional seats for Democrats, aiding their efforts to regain control of the House in 2026 and hinder President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Crawford’s supporters have openly stated that her victory could “put two more House seats in play for 2026.”

Such is the state of “democracy.”

They may also portray it as evidence that the country is rejecting the Trump agenda and particularly disapproving of Elon Musk, who has made substantial donations to Schimel in light of significant financial support for Crawford from George Soros and other wealthy progressives.

Additionally, the left is keen on overturning prominent legislation like Act 10 — which restricts collective bargaining for public employees — since their attempts to repeal it through legislative means have been unsuccessful.

For Democrats, this is a familiar strategy: If voters and their representatives resist adopting the Democratic perspective, they turn to liberal-leaning courts to enforce it.

This desire led to calls for court packing during Joe Biden’s presidency.

In New York, they appointed a consistently liberal chief judge, Rowan Wilson, who — alongside other liberal judges in the Court of Appeals — promptly dismissed a perfectly reasonable congressional district map in 2023, demanding a new one be created.

In Wisconsin, the pro-union left has been trying to roll back Act 10 ever since it was enacted in 2011.

This law generated significant cost savings, enabling Wisconsin to address a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. Public support for this law is a significant factor in why Republicans maintain control of both the Wisconsin state Senate (18-15) and Assembly (54-45).

Consequently, Democrats are once more turning to the courts to circumvent the popular will.

Crawford proudly claims her struggle against Act 10. (Another top court justice, Janet Protasiewicz, refuses to step back, despite having protested against the law.)

The longer Act 10 remains in effect, the more concerned national Democrats grow about its influence encouraging other states to restrict their own public-sector unions.

The high stakes clarify why over $80 million has been funneled into the campaigns, a staggering sum for a state judicial race.

Have some empathy for Wisconsinites, who endured relentless advertising as a swing state last year and are now facing yet another round of “battleground” treatment.

We can only hope that enough reasonable voters turn out to the polls to support democracy and stand against court manipulation.