The state GOP announced to members that it’s launching a postmortem on the 2025 state Supreme Court race that conservative Brad Schimel lost by 10 points as the party prepares for next year’s contest.
Since liberal Susan Crawford’s victory April 1, some have questioned the party’s efforts this spring as well as its track record. It was the 15th time in the last 19 contested statewide elections since Donald Trump first took office in 2017 that the GOP or conservative candidate has lost.
State Treasurer John Leiber will chair the commission. His 2022 victory is one of the four conservative wins over the past eight years; the others were Justice Brian Hagedorn in 2019, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022 and Trump’s victory last year.
“While Conservatives came up short in the most recent race, we’re not backing down,” state GOP Chair Brian Schimming said in the announcement.
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The party said the review will cover a host of issues, from messaging and field operations to spending and advertising, as well as third-party strategies.
WisPolitics tracked $109 million in spending on the race through the April 1 election with Schimel and those backing him accounting for $59 million of that. Still, Crawford had an advantage in terms of broadcast gross ratings points — a measure of how often ads are seen — over the closing weeks. Along with the $11.4 million that the state Dem Party transferred to her campaign, Crawford built an individual donor network that raised $10.5 million in the six-week pre-election period.
She used that to put nearly $28 million into her media campaign, according to AdImpact.
The state GOP transferred $9.5 million to Schimel ahead of the April 1 election, and AdImpact tracked nearly $14.9 million in buys from his campaign. Still, insiders have noted the conservative groups that put their own money into ad buys meant the money was used less efficiently because candidates get better rates on broadcast TV than other organizations.
Crawford’s victory solidified a liberal majority on the court through at least 2028, and conservatives need a win in 2026 to keep alive their shot at flipping control again in three years.
Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley told WisPolitics earlier this month that she plans to run for reelection in 2026. In the interview, Bradley said conservatives need to ensure their candidates have equal resources in spring Supreme Court races to improve their chances of winning.
Leiber said in the announcement the review will “identify what worked, what didn’t work, and provide recommendations for the state party and future candidates.”
The announcement was included in a monthly party newsletter sent to members and Republicans across the state that was shared with WisPolitics.
It included a survey seeking input by April 30 from recipients on questions such as how frequently members participate in party activities and one to three things the state GOP can improve. It also asks if those taking the survey are interested in volunteering or getting more involved.
