It seems like we've been covering Wisconsin's ferociously-contested, closely-watched, expensively-waged --- and sometimes questionably-tallied --- Supreme Court elections for decades now on The BradCast. Because we have. And now, another one just weeks from today could once again flip the partisan balance of the high court in the Badger State. As discussed with our guest today, the results are important to the entire nation. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

FIRST UP, a bit of quick election news from even farther north, as the Liberal Party's Mark Carney wins a landslide election on Sunday to become Canada's next Prime Minister on a wave of anti-Trump nationalism. Whether he gets to keep the job remains to be seen, with parliamentary elections coming very soon, even as the nation's Conservative Party has lost much of its steam as Canadians unite to take on Trump's threat of trade war and annexation.

Canada is hardly the only ally Trump is pissing off. In Ukraine, however, his idiocy is reportedly coming at the cost of actual lives after he has blocked arms, intelligence and now even crucial, commercial satellite imagery from reaching Ukrainian troops on the battlefield as they struggle to hold off Russia's invasion. Over the weekend, in advance of peace talks this week, Trump has claimed that he may impose new sanctions on Russia and unfreeze his block on weapons and intelligence to Ukraine. Don't believe him.

THEN, with another election just weeks away that will, once again, determine the partisan balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, we are joined by Wisconsin's native son, JOHN NICHOLS, progressive author and National Affairs Correspondent for The Nation. The April 1 election comes just two years after liberals finally won back 4 to 3 control of the state's high court for the first time in 15 years.

What is at stake if the majority flips back to control by the state's hard right Republican Party? "Pretty much everything," explains Nichols, "from abortion rights, to voting rights, to labor rights" and, "this may seem a bit of stretch to folks who haven't been following Wisconsin politics, but I tell you this is the case: whether Wisconsin respects the results of presidential elections." That, he says, is among the points that should raise interest in this contest for everyone in America.

The theoretically "non-partisan" contest to fill the seat being vacated by liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, the Court's most senior jurist, is being waged between liberal Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford and the state's radical, Republican former Attorney General Brad Schimel. He is being backed by lots of billionaire money, including from one of Elon Musk's political affairs committee, which has begun to blanket the airwaves in favor of Schimel.

But Nichols reports that the unpopular Musk's entry in the race --- which he clearly knows nothing about --- is as likely to propel support for Crawford to the polls in what could become a very big turnout and a bellwether for elections during the Trump Era over the coming months and years.

"I don't think [Musk] knows anything about Wisconsin. I don't think he even cares about Wisconsin," argues Nichols. "Someone told him that this Wisconsin Supreme Court race is a critical juncture in our politics, and he should come in on the Republican/Trump side. They were right --- it IS a critical juncture. If this race is decided for Susan Crawford, it will be the first major push-back against not just Trumpism, but also against Musk's entry into politics. So, yeah, it is a critical juncture."

"The billionaire class is all in for Schimel," he adds, "because of the simple reality that these Wisconsin Supreme Court races are pivotal contests. Not just for the state, but really in defining a lot of the direction of American jurisprudence."

Much more, of course, from Nichols --- who knows Wisconsin (and U.S.) politics as well as anyone --- on today's BradCast...

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Article Categories: BRAD BLOG Media Appearance, Rights And Freedoms, Wisconsin, Democrats, Republicans, Economy, KPFK, WI Supreme Court Election, Donald Trump, Canada, Russia, BradCast, Ukraine, Tesla, Gerrymandering/Redistricting, Wall Street, Labor Unions, Elon Musk, Election 2025, Mark Carney