Lawful gun owners and supporters of the Second Amendment should understand why the Supreme Court election in Wisconsin next month is so important. The April first election has become one of the most watched, most contentious, and most expensive statewide elections in the nation. Voters must choose between two very different judicial candidates.
Dane County’s liberal Circuit Court Judge, Susan Crawford, is running against a solid conservative candidate, former state Attorney General, and Waukesha County Circuit Judge, Brad Schimel. The election will determine who fills one open seat on the high court and if the court will maintain its slight liberal majority or shift back to a more conservative-leaning body. Liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley opted out of running for another term, making the partisan tilt of the Wisconsin court an even 3-3 split.
Election observers believe the Wisconsin Supreme Court race will see more than 51 million dollars in advertising and campaign-related spending. If that happens, it will make the Wisconsin Supreme Court race the most expensive judicial election in the nation’s history.
The state Democrat party has pledged to spend well over $1 million in ads to “punch back” against Elon Musk, who is backing Judge Schimel. But Musk isn’t on the ballot and this election is solely about the qualifications and judicial temperament of the candidates.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court election will have a significant impact on each decision before the court. For gun owners, this election is particularly critical, as a litany of anti-gun laws from mandatory waiting periods to red flag gun confiscation laws have been proposed or signaled by the governor.
With so much at stake, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) has endorsed Brad Schimel to fill the vacancy on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. As Attorney General of Wisconsin, Mr. Schimel received an “A+” rating, the highest grade possible, for his defense of the individual right to keep and bear arms. And in Wisconsin, this is a right doubly guaranteed, as a 1998 amendment to the state constitution ensures, “The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation, or any lawful purpose.”
Brad Schimel has been an ardent supporter of the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen in Wisconsin. He opposed efforts aimed at criminalizing private firearm transfers. He also opposes magazine capacity restrictions and legislation that would ban commonly owned semi-automatic firearms used for hunting, recreational shooting, and self-defense.
Schimel has a record of supporting Constitutional Carry and recognizing the right of law-abiding Wisconsin gun owners to carry firearms without government permission. He also believes 18–20-year-olds have the same Second Amendment rights as those 21 years and older. And like the NRA, he has also advocated for improving safety at schools.
As Attorney General, Schimel joined an amicus brief in support of a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether a San Francisco ordinance that requires citizens to lock up handguns in homes violates the right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Second Amendment rights of Wisconsinites will be protected and strengthened with him serving on the court.
In contrast, his opponent, Susan Crawford, will no doubt greenlight any number of restrictions on Second Amendment rights to appease radical gun control activists. Her soft-on-crime record as a judge includes issuing a $500 bond in the case of Curtis O’Brian, who was convicted of repeated sexual assault on a five-year-old. She allowed O’Brien to walk free – back to his home near an elementary school – on six years of supervised release when she could have handed down a 60-year prison sentence. Her record as a judge and as a prosecutor aligns with the incongruous position of the most ardent of anti-gun radicals: soft on criminals, yet all too ready to penalize law-abiding gun owners.
As early voting has already begun, the NRA encourages its members and all Second Amendment proponents in Wisconsin to make their voices heard and support Brad Schimel in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election. While the ads inundating the airwaves will paint both candidates in bright colors, for those concerned about ensuring that constitutionally protected rights will be respected and thrive in the Badger State, the choice is clear.
John Commerford is the Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.