Posted: January 17, 2025
Updated: August 7, 2025
A guide to independent expenditures and issue ads in the spring 2025 Wisconsin State Supreme Court and Superintendent of Public Instruction elections.
For information about candidate financial activity see Campaign 2025.
Independent Expenditures |
Issue Ads |
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: January 17, 2025
Updated: August 7, 2025
Independent expenditures in the spring 2025 Wisconsin State Supreme Court and Superintendent of Public Instruction elections. Both offices are officially nonpartisan.
Candidates are listed alphabetically.
If there is a link, click on a candidate's name to see any independent expenditures reported as explicitly for or against that candidate. If no such spending has been reported, there will be no link.
Click on the office link to see all independent expenditures spent on that office if any. A page documenting updates can be found here.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: January 17, 2025
Updated: August 7, 2025
Organizations making independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates in the spring 2025 Wisconsin State Supreme Court and Superintendent of Public Instruction elections. A complete list of updates can be found here.
Click on a committee's name for more information. Click here for a PDF of office and PAC totals.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: January 17, 2025
Updated: April 3, 2025
Organizations making issue ads supporting or opposing candidates in the spring Wisconsin State Supreme Court and Superintendent of Public Instruction elections.
Click on a group's name for more information.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 11, 2025
Updated: April 1, 2025
Wisconsin Conservation Voters, a statewide environmental advocacy group, first created this committee to make independent expenditures in the fall 2018 state elections. Between the 2018 and 2024 fall elections this committee spent nearly $8.3 million elections in Wisconsin state level elections. Since 2010, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, as an organization, has used four different committees in state elections, including this one, to make independent expenditures amounting to more than $10.3 million.
Wisconsin Conservation Voters first made independent expenditures in the spring 2025 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election a week into February when it spent over $16,600 for mailers to support Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford for an open seat on the court. Crawford faces former Republican Attorney General and current Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel in the April 1st election. Liberals currently enjoy a 4-3 advantage on the, an advantage they would lose with the election of Schimel.
At the end of the third week in February, the committee reported spending over $187,000 for mailers and other unspecified expenses to support Crawford.
At the beginning of the last week in February, Conservation Voters reported spending about $4,100 for postage and miscellaneous printing costs in support of Crawford.
At the end of the first week in March, the committee reported spending over another $394,000 to support Crawford.
Eleven days before the April election, Conservation Voters reported spending $413,250 for online advertising and unspecified payroll costs in support of Crawford.
Four days before the election, it reported about $99,000 for printing and payroll costs to support Crawford.
A day before the election, the group reported about $17,000 for online advertising against Schimel.
Last active election: 2024
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 18, 2025
Updated: April 4, 2025
This is a Downers Grove, Illinois* group funded by rightwing billionaire Richard Uihlein that makes independent expenditures to help elect conservative judges and district attorneys. It was first active in Wisconsin State Supreme Court elections in 2023 when it spent over $5.5 million to support former Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelley’s failed effort to return to the high court. Reports filed with the state in mid-March, shows the committee had an income of more than $4 million so far in 2025, all of which came from Uihlein.
Uihlein and his wife, Elizabeth, of Lake Forest, Ill., founded Uline, a shipping and packaging supply company. The couple are among the leading backers of Republican and conservative state and federal candidates and causes in the country.
A day before the February 18th spring primaries, the committee reported spending over $1.35 million on television ads to oppose Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford’s campaign for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, even though the committee's last full finance report showed a cash balance of only $2,161.49. Crawford faced Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge, and former Republican Wisconsin State Attorney General, Brad Schimel in the April 1st election for a vacant seat on the court. Because the retiring justice was a member of the court’s 4-3 liberal majority, the outcome of the election would determine the ideological direction of the court. Since there were only two candidates for the seat, there was no primary. Crawford won the April election, ensuring liberals will maintain control of the court.
At the end of the third week in February, Fair Courts reported spending another $1.2 million for television ads opposing Crawford.
At the end of the second week in March, with less than three weeks to go until election day, the group reported spending over $420,000 for online advertising, texts and mailers to oppose Crawford.
Twelve days from the April election, Fair Courts reported spending about $989,000 for television ads opposing Crawford. One ad sponsored by the group accuses Crawford of misrepresenting Schimel and then goes on to praise Schimel for being tough on crime, among other virtues.
Five days before the election, the committee reported spending nearly another $440,000 for online and television advertisements to oppose Crawford. A day later, it reported about $23,100 for phone calls against Crawford and texts for Schimel. The most recent video ad produced by Fair Courts tries to tie Crawford by criticizing an unnamed "liberal" judge's role in a federal deportation case and urging voters to "reject liberal Judge Susan Crawford."
A day before the election, it reported spending about $7,800 for texts backing Schimel. Two days after the election, it reported that it had spent over another $18,700 on texting in the race.
*Registration materials field the Federal Elections Commission place the committee in Downers Grove. The address the organization provides the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission, the state agency that monitors campaign finance actitivy, matches a UPS store in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
Last active election: 2023
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 18, 2025
Updated: April 1, 2025
House Freedom Action first registered with the state to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin on February 14, 2025, just three days before it first reported spending in the Wisconsin State Supreme Court election. House Freedom Action also operates as a registered federal committee that works to elect conservatives to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The day before the February 18th primary election, the committee reported spending just over $49,000 for online ads opposing supreme court candidate Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford. Crawford will face former Republican Attorney General and current Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel in the April 1st election for a vacant seat on the court. Because the retiring justice is a member of the court’s current 4-3 liberal majority, the outcome of the election will determine the ideological direction of the court. Since there are only two candidates for the seat, there is no primary for the court.
At the beginning of the last week in February, House Freedom Action reported spending yet another $37,800 for online advertising against Crawford. A couple of days later it reported yet spending yet another $45,360 for the same purpose. A day later it reported spending just over $5,000 for online advertising backing Schimel.
Towards the end of the first week in March, the committee reported spending $48,000 for online advertising to oppose Crawford.
Five days before the April election, House Freedom Action reported nearly another $15,400 for online advertisements against Crawford.
The day before the election, it reported $25,000 more towards anti-Crawford online advertisements.
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 19, 2025
Updated: April 1, 2025
A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund is the independent expenditure arm of A Better Wisconsin Together, an organization that supports Democratic and left-leaning candidates for the legislature, statewide and local offices. First active in the 2020 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election, A Better Wisconsin Together has since spent over $19.7 million on independent expenditures and issue ads in Wisconsin state elections as of the end of 2024.
The committee first reported making independent expenditures in the 2025 Wisconsin State Supreme Court election four days before the spring primaries held on February 18. The committee spent over $258,000 for online advertising to oppose Waukesha Circuit Court Judge and erstwhile Republican state attorney general Brad Schimel.
Schimel faces Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford in the April 1st election for an open seat on the state’s high court. Because the retiring justice is a member of the court’s current 4-3 liberal majority, the outcome of the election will determine the ideological direction of the court. Since there are only two candidates for the position, there was no primary for the court election.
At the beginning of the first week, the committee reported spending another $550,000 for online ads opposing Schimel.
At the beginning of March, A Better Wisconsin reported spending over another $1.5 million on television and online advertising to support Crawford and oppose Schimel.
About three weeks before the April 1st election, the group reported spending another $625,000 for online ads against Schimel.
Two weeks before the April election A Better Wisconsin reported spending nearly $1.67 million for online ads and mailers opposing Schimel and supporting Crawford. At the same time, the group reported it had started spending in the concurrent Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public instruction election with $825,000 going towards ads to support the incumbent, Jill Underly, and oppose her opponent, educational consultant and former charter school lobbyist Britanny Kinser. This office, like that of the court, is officially nonpartisan but Underly is supported by Democrats and Kinser by Republicans.
Twelve days out from the election, the committee spending over half a million dollars for mailers opposing Schimel in the court race.
Nine days before the April election, A Better Wisconsin reported spending $275,000 for online and television advertising to oppose Kinser for school superintendent. The ads claims that Kinser's policies as a former charter school administrator put students in danger.
A week from election day, the committee reported spending another $2.6 million for online and television ads in the court race and $300,000 for television ads in the other.
Five days before the election, A Better Wisconsin reported spending about another $708,500 for televsion and online advertising in to support Crawford and oppose Schimel in the court race. A day later it reported another $3,000 for online advertising in opposition to Schimel. The ads attack Schimel for going easy on sex offenders, his stance on abortion rights, corruption and links to Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. More of the ads can be seen here, here and here.
A day before the election, it reported another $7,000 for online advertising against Schimel.
A Better Wisconsin had already started running issue ads against Schimel before it first reported independent spending.
Last active election: 2024
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 22, 2025
Updated: April 2, 2025
This arm of the Virginia-based Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) sponsors outside electioneering activities to support conservative candidates in judicial races throughout the country. This committee reported spending over $2.45 million on four state Wisconsin State Supreme Court elections between 2016 and 2023.
At the end of the third week of February it reported spending over $1.2 million on television and online advertising to oppose Wisconsin State Supreme Court candidate and Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford. Crawford faced Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge and Brad Schimel in the April 1st election for an open seat on the high court. Before Schimel was appointed to the court by GOP Governor Scott Walker, he had served as state attorney general as a Republican.
At the time of the election, Llberals currently enjoyed a 4-3 majority on the court. Since the retiring justice comes from that majority, the outcome of the election would determine the court’s ideological bent until after the next election in April 2026. Barring an unexpected vacancy, Crawford's victory gives liberals control of the court for at least three more years.
At the end of February, RSLC reported spending over $122,500 for mailers supporting Schimel and opposing Crawford.
Three weeks before the April 1st election day, the committee spent about another $35,000 for mailers backing Schimel and opposing Crawford. Two days later, it reported spending $75,000 for online ads against Crawford. The next day, at the end of the second week in March, it reported sending nearly $35,000 for mailers to support Schimel and oppose Crawford.
Fifteen days before the election, RSLC reported spending over $122,000 for mailers to oppose Crawford and support Schimel. Two days later it reported spending about $16,700 for online ads opposing Crawford.
Twelve days before the election, it reported $146,800 on television and online advertising in opposition to Crawford. The next day, it reported nearly another $50,000 for mailers, online and television advertising to back Schimel and oppose Crawford.
A week from the election, RSLC reported nearly another $268,000 for mailers in the contest.
Four days before the election, it reported spending nearly another $200,000 for television ads opposing Crawford. The most recent ads - here and here - urge voters to reject Crawford as a way of supporting President Donald Trump.
The day before the election, RSLC reported about $73,500 for texts. The day of the election it reported a mere $75 for more online advertising.
Last active election: 2023
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.
Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 22, 2025
Updated: July 16, 2025*
Wisconsin Neighbor Action Fund is a new independent expenditure committee formed for the specific purpose of influencing the 2025 spring Wisconsin State Supreme Court election. It first registered with the state for that purpose at the beginning of February, just a few day after it registered its website’s domain name. The organization is partnered with AFSCME, the largest union representing government workers, One Fair Wage, and Rock the Vote.
At the end of the third week in February it reported spending about $32,000 for texting to support Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford for an open seat on the state’s high court. Crawford’s opponent was former Republican state attorney general and current Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel. Liberals held a 4-3 majority on the court at the time of the election. A Schimel victory would have switched control back to conservatives. Crawford won the contest and liberals kept their majority.
Two weeks before the April 1st election, the group had already reported spending over $600,000 in the high court race.
Eleven days before the election, the Fund reported spending over $11,600 on texts supporting Crawford. It also reported spending in the Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction race for the first time, with $100,000 allotted to texts scheduled to run through the April 1st election. The group backed incumbent Jill Underly who was opposed by educational consultant and erstwhile charter school lobbyist Brittany Kinser. While the position, like the supreme court, is officially nonpartisan, the state Democratic party backed Underly and the state GOP Kinser. Underly won reelection.
By the day of the election, the group had reported spending over $986,000 between the two races. Even more spending was reported following the April 1st election, with a combined total in excess of $1.4 million.
*Most recent update adjusts earlier reported spending to account for changes made by the committee in July reporting.
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.