Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate judge Susan Crawford visited the University of Wisconsin campus to host a rally in Grainger Hall on March 18.
Introductory remarks were given by president and CEO of Reproductive Freedom For All Mini Timmaraju, an advocate for reproductive rights from Texas, Amanda Zurawski and vice-chair of College Democrats of UW-Madison Sandy Rosenthal.
Zurawski shared her personal experiences with a state Supreme Court and the difference it can make in life or death situations, such as when she had a miscarriage and was unable to receive care due to the abortion ban in Texas.
Crawford is up against former attorney general Brad Schimel for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the April 1 election, which has turned into a highly politicized and partisan race, partly due to funding from outside sources, according to previous reporting from The Badger Herald.
During her remarks, Crawford focused on the importance of voter turnout in this election, fighting for the rights of Wisconsinites, protecting fundamental rights and applying the law in an impartial and fair way.
“I never lose sight of the fact that the people in my courtroom are real people with real problems and we need to make sure that we solve those problems as judges,” Crawford said.
Crawford also referenced the outside funding Schimel has been receiving from Elon Musk, in what she called an attempt to buy the seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Voters should be concerned about the money Musk is putting into the election, an unprecedented amount for a judicial seat, Crawford said.
“I want to talk about my opponent, Elon Musk,” Crawford said. “The richest man in the world … He has spent over $12 million trying to buy this seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.”
The race between Crawford and Schimel has cost over $59 million as of mid-March, according to WISN.
Crawford said her priorities lie with Wisconsinites, adding that she believes Schimel’s interests align with Musk and President Donald Trump.
“What I’ve told people is that I’m going to be fair and impartial,” Crawford said. “I’m not promising anything, I’ll apply the law as an impartial judge.”
