MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Susan Crawford and Brad Schimel have agreed to a live debate ahead of the April 1 election. 

What You Need To Know

  • Crawford, a Dane County Circuit Court judge, and Schimel, a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge, will engage in an hour-long live debate at the Lubar Center at Marquette University Law School’s Eckstein Hall on March 12

  • While the court race is nonpartisan, Crawford has a liberal backing while Schimel has largely conservative support

  • The winner of the race will determine the ideological makeup of the state’s highest court. Should Crawford win, the court will maintain a liberal 4-3 majority. Should Schimel win, the ideological balance will flip, giving conservatives a 4-3 majority

Crawford, a Dane County Circuit Court judge, and Schimel, a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge, will engage in an hour-long live debate at the Lubar Center at Marquette University Law School’s Eckstein Hall on March 12.

While the court race is nonpartisan, Crawford has a liberal backing while Schimel has largely conservative support. The winner of the race will determine the ideological makeup of the state’s highest court. Should Crawford win, the court will maintain a liberal 4-3 majority. Should Schimel win, the ideological balance will flip, giving conservatives a 4-3 majority.

Crawford previously worked as an assistant attorney general, prosecutor and private-practice attorney before she become a judge. She also worked as an administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

She grew up in Chippewa Falls. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University and went to law school at the University of Iowa, according to her LinkedIn.

In addition to being a judge, Schimel has worked as an assistant district attorney, district attorney and as Wisconsin Attorney General from 2015 to 2019.

He grew up in the Town of Vernon. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and went to law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, according to the Waukesha County Circuit Courts' website. 

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently evaluating cases impacting abortion rights and unions. Cases regarding reproductive rights, election laws and congressional redistricting may be coming down the line, too.

The debate will air live on WISN 12 in Milwaukee and its partner stations in Green Bay (WBAY), Madison (WKOW), Wausau (WAOW), Eau Claire (WQOW) and La Crosse (WXOW). The time has yet to be announced. 

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Aly Prouty - Digital Media Producer

Aly Prouty is a digital producer for Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin, Ohio and Kentucky. An award-winning, multimedia journalist, she holds an honors B.A. in journalism from Marquette University and an M.A. in journalism and media studies from The University of Alabama.