Crawford is the clear choice for the Supreme Court

By Kelly Fenton

We are hopefully about to witness real policy negotiations in the state legislature, something we haven’t seen since 2010. That was the last time we had a functional democracy in our state. For the next 15 years, the nation’s worst gerrymandered legislature effectively ceased to operate as a body focused on the common good, becoming instead focused on the maintenance of power.

Meanwhile, things popular among a majority of Wisconsinites – affordable housing, affordable childcare, Medicaid expansion, abortion rights, public safety and public education – went neglected, as Republicans, safe in their gerrymandered districts, did little to nothing, or worse.

That is why the State Supreme Court race in April is critical and why we must elect Judge Susan Crawford. While she rightly refuses to discuss issues that might come before the court, her record suggests she understands the importance of fair maps in a functioning and healthy democracy. Now that redistricting has engendered real representative democracy in our state and narrowed the GOP’s ill-gotten near-supermajority to a narrow majority, Republicans will be forced to actually be responsive to the needs of their constituents. No longer will they have guaranteed incumbency.

On the other hand, Crawford’s opponent would almost certainly vote for a return to extreme gerrymandering.

Moreover, Crawford has the right temperament and resume, having served as a prosecutor and now as Dane County Circuit Court Judge. She has built relationships with prosecutors and public defenders as well as victim advocates. Let’s keep our new-found democracy and elect Crawford.