Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: March 25, 2025
Updated: July 16, 2026
This is the De Pere based Brown County branch of the state Republican party. This is the first time it has reported making independent expenditures in a state election, but these may be misreported in-kind contributions as may be the case with two other GOP county branches in Langlade and Milwaukee.
Eight days before the April 1st elections, the party reported spending about $4,300 on mailers, phone calls and online advertising, starting in mid-February, split between the Wisconsin State Supreme Court and State Superintendent of Public races. Both posts are officially nonpartisan. In July, the party reported it had spent nearly another $8,600 in the two races for online advertising and phone calls.
In the court race, it suppoted Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge and former Republican Wisconsin State Attorney General Brad Schimel. Schimel faced Democratically backed Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford for an open seat on the high court. Going into the election liberals enjoyed a 4-3 majority on the court won in 2023. A Schimel victory would have given control back to conservatives. Crawford won the electin ensuring liberal control of the court.
In the other race, the party backed challenger Brittany Kinser, an educational consultant and former charter school lobbyist, against first-term incumbent Jill Underly. Underly, in turn, was supported by the state Democratic party. Underly won the election.