OPINION:
Conservatives lost another Supreme Court race in Wisconsin this week. Liberals will now hold a 5-2 majority on the state high court. What does this mean for the midterm elections? It means that money matters.
Liberals understand the importance of a financial advantage. According to reports filed March 31, the liberal candidate raised more than $6.1 million, but the conservative raised only about $900,000.
No one can overcome that gap in a swing state.
Left-wing candidates have substantially outspent conservative candidates in each of the past six elections, and liberals won five of those races. The one exception was in 2019, when a scandal erupted after the conservative candidate’s religious beliefs were attacked, which drove turnout.
Overall spending exceeded $100 million in the 2025 state Supreme Court election. The liberal candidate, at the time a federal appeals court judge, raised $33.8 million. The conservative candidate, then a judge and a former attorney general, raised $19.8 million.
Outside groups on both sides raised more than the candidates did.
Casual observers of the race last year suggest that total spending for and against each candidate was close. This overlooks the fact that candidates receive the lowest price for television ads while outside organizations must pay a premium near the end of the campaign.
In other words, the liberal candidate’s campaign ran far more ads when it counted.
Without a doubt, money is and has been the key to liberal dominance in races for the Wisconsin high court since 2018. State law allows each political party to raise unlimited funds. It also allows each state party to donate unlimited amounts to candidates.
Over the past few cycles, Democrats have been highly effective at raising large sums of money from George Soros, Reid Hoffman and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Wisconsin Democrats have done an amazing job of harnessing liberal disdain for President Trump to create a massive low-dollar donor network to support their party and candidates.
The state party then funnels most of these funds to its standard-bearer for the state Supreme Court or governor, depending on the election cycle.
Looking ahead to November in Wisconsin, conservatives have to figure out how to inspire donors, big and small alike, to get behind Rep. Tom Tiffany’s campaign for governor. Winning in Wisconsin requires a strong message, manpower and money.
Right or wrong, if you don’t have enough money, then the message and manpower don’t matter.
Thankfully, the race in Wisconsin is winnable. Public polls have Mr. Tiffany even with, or even ahead of, the Democrats running for governor.
An open seat with the incumbent not running for reelection, combined with a contentious primary featuring candidates making increasingly radical promises, gives the Republican a real opportunity for victory this fall.
Mr. Tiffany must get out and define himself quickly while the other candidates fight among themselves. He and his wife started a small business years ago, giving boat tours in northern Wisconsin. They had to count every penny to make it work.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a governor who counts every penny and understands others who need to do so just to pay the bills each month? Cementing this message soon will help attract voters and supporters to his campaign.
With enough resources to guarantee a level playing field, Mr. Tiffany can then share his plans to help everyone in Wisconsin afford to live and thrive in my state. A solid conservative is in the best spot to help lower the costs of food, fuel, housing, electricity, higher education, taxes and health care.
Mr. Tiffany and other conservatives across the country need to spell out their own affordability plans. Showing voters how their lives will be better is the key to success.
Mr. Tiffany can win in Wisconsin, but all of us like-minded people need to help him out with donations, door-knocking, phone calls, online posts, etc. We can win, but overcoming the financial advantages we have seen in the past six state Supreme Court elections won’t be easy. It will take a focused team effort.
Hopefully, the results of the state Supreme Court race were a wake-up call for those sitting on the sidelines in my state. It’s time to save Wisconsin.
When we do, it will help us save America again.
• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Times. He was the 45th governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King. He can be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.
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