Madison Reporter

Brandon Maly, chairman of the Dane County Republicans, has accused Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford of collaborating with wealthy Democratic donors to grant significant power to the radical left. Maly urged conservatives to take action, making his statement to the Madison Reporter on February 25.

"Susan Crawford is openly courting wealthy Democratic donors, vowing to rig Wisconsin's congressional map to erase two Republican-held seats and hand control of Congress to the radical left," said Maly. "This blatant power grab would upend the will of Wisconsin voters, silencing conservative voices and ensuring a Democrat stronghold. If even one more liberal activist judge takes the bench, Wisconsin's judiciary will be nothing more than a political weapon for leftist elites. The stakes couldn't be higher—Republicans must act now, or we risk losing our voices in not just Wisconsin, but the entire Congress."

According to The New York Times, Crawford allegedly solicited changes to Wisconsin's congressional maps in exchange for financial support. An email invitation sent to Democratic donors promoted an event featuring Crawford, highlighting an opportunity to target two Republican-held Wisconsin House seats in 2026. The event was organized with assistance from aides to billionaire Democratic donor Reid Hoffman, a prominent supporter of Wisconsin Democrats. Additionally, former Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, is set to campaign for Crawford in Wisconsin.

In a January 28 press release on his campaign website, Brad Schimel, another candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, said that "Susan Crawford was caught soliciting changes to Wisconsin’s congressional maps for financial support." Schimel further noted that Democratic donors were invited to a fundraising briefing described as a chance "to put two more House seats in play for 2026," involving both Crawford and Ben Wikler, the Wisconsin Democratic chairman. Schimel criticized Crawford's actions by saying she is running for a nonpartisan seat but her email suggests otherwise.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on January 18 that Crawford claimed she is the only impartial candidate in the race against Schimel. According to the Sentinel, Crawford participated in a donor briefing with state Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler organized by Focus for Democracy—a group supported by Reid Hoffman. The event aimed at mobilizing donations and referenced flipping traditionally conservative congressional seats in Wisconsin. The Sentinel also reported that shortly after her claim of impartiality, Crawford's campaign received $1 million from the state Democratic Party.

Brandon Maly was first elected as Chairman of the Dane County Republicans in 2023. According to their website, he focuses on boosting Republican voter turnout, growing party membership, and communicating party positions on issues important to Dane County voters.