Who is Susan Crawford? Where Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate stands on voter ID, abortion, redistricting and more
Editor's Note: Susan Crawford defeated Brad Schimel on April 1 to win a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court
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.
Susan Crawford, a circuit court judge in Dane County, is the liberal candidate in the race. The conservative candidate is Brad Schimel, a circuit court judge in Waukesha County and a former Republican state attorney general.
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. Nearly three out of five said they don't know enough about Crawford.
Here's what to know about Crawford, including her experience in the legal system, positions on key issues, education and more. This guide may be updated as campaigns continue.
What is Susan Crawford's job?
Crawford is currently a circuit court judge in Dane County, first elected in 2018. According to her campaign website, she has presided over trials for homicide, sexual assault and domestic violence cases.
Before becoming a judge, Crawford was a partner at Pines Bach, a Madison law firm often hired by Democrats. As a private attorney, she represented groups that fought for abortion rights and sought to overturn Act 10 and the state's voter ID law — roles conservatives have seized on.
Earlier in her career, Crawford served as chief legal counsel to former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and worked in the state Department of Natural Resources and Department of Corrections. She also worked as an assistant attorney general under Doyle.
Who has endorsed Susan Crawford?
Crawford's endorsements include the state Democratic Party, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, Wisconsin AFL-CIO, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, EMILYs List, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin and several labor unions.
She is also backed by each of the court's liberal justices: Ann Walsh Bradley, whose retirement created the vacancy in the seat that's up for election, Rebecca Dallet, Jill Karofsky and Janet Protasiewicz.
While Schimel has touted endorsements from dozens of Wisconsin sheriffs, Crawford is endorsed by Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett and Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball, plus retired sheriffs from Dane, Green and Chippewa counties.
What groups have donated to Susan Crawford?
Crawford has raised about $7.7 million since entering the race, including $4.5 million in the first month of 2025. The state Democratic Party has funneled $3 million into her campaign. Labor unions have also supported her campaign.
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.
Investor George Soros, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman have recently donated large sums to the state Democratic Party, which then forwarded money to Crawford's campaign.
What is Susan Crawford's stance on abortion?
In a recent interview with the Journal Sentinel, Crawford called the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade "wrong." One of her campaign ads says she "fought for abortion rights."
Asked whether she would call herself "pro-choice," Crawford told the Journal Sentinel she supposed that was accurate, but that she doesn't tend to use the term because of its policy implications and the way it's been politicized.
"I approach it more from a common sense, like what do women need to make sure that they're safe and that their families are safe?" she said. "It's about self-determination, it's about being able to make your own choices for yourself."
What is Susan Crawford's stance on voter ID?
Crawford previously represented the League of Women Voters in trying to block the state law that requires voters to show photo ID, comparing the law to a poll tax. While running for Dane County court in 2018, she called the law "draconian."
Crawford has been quieter on voter ID since launching her Supreme Court campaign, saying she doesn't take positions on issues that could land before the high court. She has also declined to say how she would vote on the photo ID referendum question on the April ballot.
What is Susan Crawford's stance on redistricting?
Conservatives 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 on the call briefly to share her background and why's she's running, and she has "not publicly or privately commented on congressional redistricting at any time."
In late 2023, the state Supreme Court ordered new legislative maps in Wisconsin but rejected a request to reconsider the state's congressional boundaries. The western and southeastern U.S. House districts in Wisconsin are considered the state's most competitive.
How old is Susan Crawford?
Crawford is 60.
Where is Susan Crawford from?
Crawford and her husband, Shawn, live in Madison and have two adult children. She grew up in Chippewa Falls.
Where did Susan Crawford go to college, law school?
Crawford received her bachelor's degree in English from Lawrence University and a master's degree in English from Indiana University. She then attended the University of Iowa College of Law, graduating in 1994.
Alison Dirr and Daniel Bice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
This story was updated to add a video and gallery.