Who is Brad Schimel? Where Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate stands on voter ID, abortion, redistricting and more
As Wisconsin's April 1 state Supreme Court election draws nearer, you've probably started seeing ads or receiving mailers about the two candidates competing for an open seat that will again determine the court's ideological majority.
While the race is officially nonpartisan, justices on the state Supreme Court typically lean liberal or conservative, and partisan groups often heap donations and support into their campaigns.
Brad Schimel, a circuit court judge in Waukesha County and a former Republican state attorney general, is the conservative candidate in the race. The liberal candidate is Susan Crawford, a circuit court judge in Dane County.
In 2023, the court flipped to a liberal majority for the first time in over a decade with the election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz. The 2025 race will determine if the court remains under liberal control or switches back to a conservative majority.
The court is often the final voice on contentious issues in Wisconsin, from abortion to election laws to redistricting. A case that will decide the fate of Act 10, the 2011 state law that stripped bargaining rights from most state employees, is likely to land before the Supreme Court.
In a Marquette poll conducted in late February, most Wisconsin voters said they did not know enough about either Supreme Court candidate to have an opinion about them. About two out of five said they had no opinion of Schimel.
Here's what to know about Schimel, including his experience in the legal system, positions on key issues, education and more. This guide may be updated as campaigns continue.
What is Brad Schimel's job?
Schimel has been a circuit court judge in Waukesha County since 2019. Schimel ran as a Republican for state attorney general, a position he held from 2015 to 2019 before narrowly losing reelection.
Liberals have criticized Schimel over a backlog in sexual assault kits during his first two years leading the Department of Justice, but Schimel has argued he addressed a decades-old problem in the final half of his four-year term.
Before becoming attorney general, Schimel served as the Waukesha County district attorney for about nine years. According to his campaign website, he prosecuted cases of elder abuse, human trafficking, homicide and sexual assault, among other crimes. He had worked as an assistant district attorney in the office before that.
Who has endorsed Brad Schimel?
Schimel has been endorsed by Wisconsin's Republican members of Congress, the Waukesha County Police Chiefs Association, the Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Association, the Milwaukee Police Association and the Wisconsin State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. He has touted endorsements from several dozen current and retired county sheriffs.
Schimel has said he'd welcome an endorsement from President Donald Trump because he "is enjoying high popularity right now." Trump has not yet backed Schimel, but he has endorsed in Wisconsin's Supreme Court races before. Schimel has received the backing of Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump.
What groups have donated to Brad Schimel?
Schimel has raised about $5.1 million since entering the race, including about $2.7 million in the first month of 2025. The Republican Party of Wisconsin has funneled about $1.7 million into his campaign.
A group funded by Musk has spent more than $2 million on TV ads attacking Crawford. Musk's super PAC, America PAC, has paid out more than $3.2 million on voter turnout, texting and digital ads.
National, big-money donors have gotten involved in both campaigns. While individuals can only donate $20,000 to a candidate, they can send unlimited donations to the state parties, which then transfer money to the campaign.
ABC Supply owner Diane Hendricks, Uline president Liz Uihlein and Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts have recently donated large sums to the state Republican Party, which then forwarded money to Schimel's campaign.
What is Brad Schimel's stance on abortion?
Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, Schimel supported keeping Wisconsin's 1849 law that bans abortion without exceptions for rape and incest. At an event last summer, Schimel said there is no "constitutional right to abortion" in Wisconsin's constitution.
Schimel has recently changed his tone, saying he would respect the "will of the voters" on the issue. But Wisconsin doesn’t have a process that allows its voters to change state law through referendums. Marquette University Law School polling has showed a majority of Wisconsin voters support legal abortion in all or most cases.
Schimel has said he does not agree with abortion, citing his experience with the adoption of his two children, who are featured in an ad about his stance on the issue.
What is Brad Schimel's stance on voter ID?
In 2018, while Schimel was serving as attorney general, he suggested to a conservative radio host that Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 because the state's voter ID law kept the elections "clean" and "honest." He also fought in court to keep the law in place as attorney general.
A press release from Schimel's campaign criticized Crawford's involvement in challenging the voter ID law while she was in private practice and called Schimel the "only candidate in this race who understands the importance of secure, democratic elections."
What is Brad Schimel's stance on redistricting?
As attorney general, Schimel defended the state's previous legislative maps that heavily favored Republicans in court.
Schimel has not made notable recent comments on redistricting, though Republicans have criticized Crawford for attending a donor advisory meeting that was billed as a "chance to put two more House seats in play for 2026" in an email invite. Her campaign said she was only on the call briefly to share her background and why she's running.
How old is Brad Schimel?
Schimel is 60.
Where is Brad Schimel from?
Schimel and his wife, Sandi, live in Waukesha County. They have two adoptive daughters. Schimel was born in West Allis, and his family later moved to the Town of Vernon.
What is Brad Schimel's band?
Schimel plays bass guitar for 4 on the Floor, a local classic rock band.
Where did Brad Schimel go to college, law school?
Schimel attended the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha for two years before finishing his bachelor's degree at UW-Milwaukee. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1990.
Alison Dirr and Daniel Bice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.