Daily Briefing: One of America's biggest political races this year

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Happy first day of spring! 💐🌷

Here's a rundown of Thursday's news:

• A high-stakes contest for a Wisconsin state Supreme Court seat.
• Exclusive: Sextortion scams are plaguing young men. Some victims say recovery services make it worse.
• The women's First four continues in March Madness.

Why is a Wisconsin judicial election on America's mind?

A high-stakes election for a Wisconsin state Supreme Court seat is seen as a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump and DOGE's Elon Musk, who is leading the effort to fire thousands of federal workers, cut foreign aid and target their opponents for retribution.

Why it matters: The April 1 contest will determine the ideological direction of the state's high court at a time when it is considering issues such as abortion, union rights and redistricting.

• Who's running? Conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel will square off against liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.
• Spending is headed for record-smashing sum of $100 million. Elon Musk is the biggest contributor in the race, often tying Schimel to Trump.
• Democrats are in the fight, too. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz visited Wisconsin to support liberal Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford and criticize Republicans for not holding in-person town halls.

📰 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the Paste BN Network, is covering every angle of this election, from candidate profiles to campaign spending. Follow their coverage.

Exclusive: Trump to sign order Thursday aimed at eliminating Education Department

President Donald Trump is set to sign a long-anticipated executive order Thursday that seeks to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, delivering on a signature campaign promise to try to dismantle the agency, according to senior Trump administration officials. Trump's order, which is almost certain to invite legal challenges from the left, sets up a new test for the bounds of presidential authority after the Trump administration's efforts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development were blocked this week by a federal district judge in Maryland. But eliminating ED in its entirety would require action from Congress.

More news to know now

• Israel started a new ground operation in Gaza.
• DOGE cuts could end decades of NOAA's ground-breaking climate research in Hawaii.
• Could drones deliver medical supplies in your state soon?
• An initiative to track stolen Ukrainian kids has been defunded.
• Did Ben & Jerry's make ice cream too political?

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

A spring break warning to international students and faculty

As many college students and faculty get ready to enjoy spring break, others are feeling trapped within U.S. borders. If they leave, they could risk deportation. Advisories from schools to students and other community members on visas or permanent residency status urge them to postpone personal international travel for spring break, following a handful of students across these universities who recently had their visa status revoked. In losing their visas, these students could also forfeit the degrees they've been working so hard for.

This company is taking advantage of sextortion victims, some customers say

A college student thought his texts and some nude photos were going to a girl. But the recipient was really a predator who was now blackmailing him, threatening to release the sensitive photos to his family and friends. He frantically Googled "sextortion help" and came across a company that purported it could help take down the photos. He signed up and agreed to pay $1,500 for the service. The company pushed back, saying it has thousands of satisfied customers. Read this student's story in Paste BN's exclusive investigation into a surge in financial sextortion and its mental health impact on teenage boys.

Click here for advice on what to do if you or your teen is sextorted. If you'd like to share your experience with sextortion, cybercriminals or recovery assistance services, please contact us here.

Today's talkers

• What happened after the Starliner astronauts landed?
• Dogs can fill out March Madness brackets, too.
• What's the tea on that "White Lotus" brother kiss?!
• Ellen Pompeo feared her latest role could be "Cancel City."
• Rachel Zegler enchants in Disney's resonant "Snow White" remake.
• The French bulldog is America's top dog breed.

Iowa State holds on for women's First Four win

First Four games continue Thursday in the women's NCAA Tournament, with No. 11 seed Columbia vs. No. 11 seed Washington and High Point facing William & Mary. The First Four hasn't always been a part of March Madness, but the play-in games give lower seeds a chance to earn their way into the first round of the tournament. In last night's play-ins, Iowa State rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Princeton 68-65 behind dynamic duo Audi Crooks and Addy Brown's stellar performances. Southern then took down UC San Diego with relative ease. Read Paste BN Sports' recap of last night.

Photo of the day: Cracking open 'Sunrise on the Reaping'

Fans gathered at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City this week for the midnight release party of "Sunrise on the Reaping," the latest installment by Suzanne Collins in her "Hunger Games" series. For fans old and new, the debut is an excuse to revisit Panem's revolution.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.