Courting God & Mammon in Wisconsin

Brad Schimel says God “called” him to run for a spot on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the race is “a battle between good and evil.” But if he wins, he might need to thank Mammon.

In-person early voting starts today ahead of the, no joke, April 1 election day for what is already the most expensive state Supreme Court race ever in the country. With nearly $60 million already spent by last week, this race is growing in intensity as the world’s richest man pumps in millions for a seat that will decide who controls the highest court in the Badger State. And it will offer the first swing state assessment at the ballot box since Donald Trump took the oath of office for a second term.

Balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court shifted two years ago when liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz won an election to replace a retiring conservative justice. With her tipping the court’s scales, the justices later that year ruled 4-3 to strike down gerrymandered maps by Republicans in the state legislature. But the retirement of a liberal justice ahead of this year’s election puts the court’s balance once again up for grabs, ahead of key cases like one that could decide access to abortion in the state.

Although technically a nonpartisan election, both parties have their preferred candidate. Democrats back Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford, a former assistant attorney general in Iowa and Wisconsin. Republicans support Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel, a former attorney general for the state.

As the two hit the campaign trail, Schimel has spoken during multiple Sunday morning church services to frame the election in religious terms (and in ways that violate IRS rules governing nonprofits like houses of worship). At the same time, he’s enjoying a financial boost from Elon Musk’s PACs that have poured more than $12 million in the race and given Schimel a lead in campaign spending. Meanwhile, George Soros gave Crawford $1 million and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave half a million. With those contributions, the race already passed the previous court election record, which was $56 million in Wisconsin two years ago (which soared past the old record of $15 million in a 2004 Illinois race). Experts predict this year’s race will double the spending of two years ago.

“This is unprecedented to see this kind of spending on a race,” Crawford said about Musk’s donations during a debate last week with Schimel. “[Musk] has basically taken over Brad Schimel’s campaign.”

People applaud during a Democratic “People vs. Musk” town hall event on March 6, 2025, in Sauk City, Wisconsin. (Morry Gash/Associated Press)

Polls show the race essentially tied. While Republicans point to Trump’s victory in the swing state last year as a positive sign, Democrats are increasingly making Musk — and his chaotic and devastating cuts in the national government — a key issue. Musk’s spending in the race could help his pocketbook as Tesla is suing the state to open dealerships — a case that could eventually get to the state’s Supreme Court.

While state and national media attention is looking at the role of money in the race, Schimel’s campaign stops in churches are being overlooked. So this issue of A Public Wisconsin heads to the Cheese State to consider the church politicking of a court hopeful.

Praying for Votes

On Sunday (March 16), Brad Schimel made a campaign stop in the middle of the worship service at Wyldewood Baptist Church in Oshkosh. As the pastor of the independent, fundamentalist church introduced the candidate, he dismissed concerns about separation of church and state and said he wanted politicians “to understand we are here and we generally vote and participate in a conservative way.”