State Supreme Court Candidates Face Off In Debate

Voter ID requirements, abortion rights and the role of public sector unions were among the hot-button issues that were in the spotlight and sparked some spirited exchanges during Wednesday night’s debate between the two candidates vying for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

With only three weeks before the election, Wednesday night’s faceoff at Marquette University in Milwaukee is the only scheduled debate between Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel. Both contenders took the debate as an opportunity to clarify their own positions and raise concerns about their opponent. 

At stake is the ideological balance of the state Supreme Court – currently split 4-3 with a liberal majority. The court’s leaning is important as it’s slated to offer rulings on a number of impactful cases in the coming months. 

The hour-long debate saw the candidates burnishing their own positions while trading accusations. The exchanges were sometimes heated. At one point, Schimel interjected that Crawford was lying when she accused him of being someone who has “blamed victims,” citing such an alleged instance during a child sexual assault case. Later, Crawford disputed Schimel’s allegation that 50% of her donors are outside the state and she stated that she thought Schimel has a “very active imagination.” 

One of the key issues of dispute was the future of abortion rights in Wisconsin. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022, an 1849 state law came back into effect that essentially bans all abortions in Wisconsin. The state Supreme Court is expected to take up a legal challenge to the 1849 law. 

Schimel said he doesn’t think the Supreme Court should render decisions on abortion rights and advocated voters should ultimately determine what to do.

Speaking of the 1849 law, he said, “I don’t believe it reflects the will of the people of Wisconsin today.”

Crawford declined to take a position on the upcoming abortion case, but said she had supported abortions rights in other cases she was involved in, including two connected to Planned Parenthood. She said she thought abortion rights is an important public concern.

“This is a critical issue in this race,” she said. “My opponent has said he believes the 1849 law in Wisconsin is valid law and he’s trying to backpedal from that position now.”

While officially nonpartisan, both candidates have the backing of the state’s main parties. Crawford is supported by Democrats while Schimel, who was previously the state attorney general, is promoted by Republicans. 

The two candidates will face off in the April 1 election.