Candidates and outside groups combined to spend more than $10 million on this year’s state Supreme Court race, shattering the record of $8 million set just last year.
The latest campaign finance reports filed with the state show Justice-elect Jill Karofsky spent nearly $2.7 million on her bid, while outgoing conservative Justice Daniel Kelly spent more than $2.1 million.
Marquette University Law Prof. Ed Fallone, who finished third in the February primary, spent $193,141 on his bid, pushing the combined candidate spending past $5 million.
Meanwhile, outside groups dropped another $5 million on the race, according to a tally by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
Of that, Kelly had a slight edge in support from independent groups.
But Karofsky had the overall edge in spending, in part, thanks to the nearly $1.4 million the state Dem Party gave to her campaign. The state GOP, meanwhile, contributed $320,987 to Kelly’s campaign.
Karofsky’s most recent filing shows she finished June with $50,247 in the bank. Three days after unofficial returns showed she had won, Karofsky repaid a $15,000 loan she gave her campaign as she launched her bid.
Kelly finished June with $25,420 in the bank.
Karofsky joins the court next month, trimming the conservative majority to 4-3.
See Karfofsky’s report:
https://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles/0106129JulyContinuing2020ba36b714202020154PMCF-2Report.pdf
See Kelly’s report:
https://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles/0105892JulyContinuing2020ccb4c715202085534PMCF-2Report.pdf
