Let's Go Wisconsin!
The country looks to Wisconsin for Tuesday's landmark election--the first (and most expensive) of its kind in 2025
Yesterday, we sent a special mailing to our Contrarians in Wisconsin, pulling together a few of our videos and columns about tomorrow’s critical State Supreme Court race. For all those in the state or for those of you with friends who live there, Election Day is Tuesday, so make your plan to vote—or encourage a local friend to do so!
Though we won’t all be casting a ballot, this race has attracted national attention from both parties. It serves us all to be informed about the stakes and their implications for our democracy.
Why is this race so critical? For starters, every issue from union organizing to gerrymandering to women’s rights to decide if and when to have children—will invariably find its way to the state Supreme Court. With the retirement of a judge who believed in labor rights, voting rights, and reproductive rights, the balance of the court is up for grabs. The MAGA movement recognized an opportunity to take the state back to the 19th century. Bold Wisconsin voters can protect their hard-earned rights by securing a state Supreme Court majority that respects personal liberties.
On a national scale, Wisconsin is recognized as one of the most critical swing states in every presidential race. It has the power to tip the balance…in either direction—and the margin of victory has, historically, been tiny. That means everyone involved in the election process—from judges to governors to county officials—must be committed to the rule of law and preservation of democracy. The alternative is a recipe for trouble: empowering people who have shown themselves to be election deniers (or are backed by them), and who only respect an election if their side wins.
Trump and Musk have weighed in heavily, presuming they won’t have any difficulty buying a Wisconsin Supreme Court that favors their radical, extreme agenda. In doing so, this race has become a referendum on them. The opportunity to deal an early, decisive blow to the Musk-Trump authoritarian machine must not be wasted. As our very own Norm Eisen says, “Democracy is on the ballot!”
As the tipping point state and birthplace of many of our most progressive, innovative government programs, Wisconsin has the potential to show the rest of the country what we stand for. It’s a chance to show the likes of Elon Musk that our elections are not for sale.
There’s still time for everybody to do their part: make calls, phone a friend in Wisconsin, or find volunteer opportunities for all at wisdems.org/volunteer.
Though many of the below were posted earlier this month, we wanted to share (or re-share) these interviews and articles from key voices involved. Read or hear them explain why this election has received so much attention, and perhaps glean some inspiration along the way—due to the dogged efforts of activists like, among many others, Pumpkin Wikler.
Thanks once more for your support. Your paid subscriptions help make our media organization possible, and any profits go back to help fund the democracy litigation efforts. We need you all on Team Democracy!
With deep gratitude and solidarity,
Jen & The Contrarians
You can be certain that many, many of us in Wisconsin understand the stakes in Tuesday's election. My wife & I voted a couple of weeks ago. There will be a HUGE (or is that YUGE?) turnout in Madison/Dane County. Musk (and his acolyte, Trump) are hugely unpopular here but I can't tell how the suburban Milwaukee counties or the Fox River Valley (Green Bay, Appleton, Oshkosh et al) feel about Musk or the election. We expected the election to be about abortion. It isn't. It is about Musk and, to a somewhat lesser degree, Trump. We are seeing ads encouraging support for Schimel to protect Trump's program. In Madison those ads only encourage more people to turn out to vote for Susan Crawford. On Wisconsin!!
Wisconinite here. I wil be voting tomorrow for Crawford. I'm not sure the national media has picked up the entire story. Besides Supreme Court I get to vote for State Director of Public Instruction, mayor, alderman, and school Board. And a state constitutional amenment to require ID in order to vote. All of theses nonpartison races have conservative and liberal candidates backed by the political parties. Much is at stake tomorrow. We are a closely divided state with a proud progressive history that seems to be forgotten.We are overwhelmed with advertisements for all these candidates.