Crawford's victory could shape Wisconsin's congressional maps

Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic U.S. House Minority Leader, spoke on Monday about the importance of electing Susan Crawford to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He believes that her victory could lead to redrawing congressional maps in a way that favors Democrats. Jeffries argued that the current congressional districts in Wisconsin are unfairly drawn. He noted that despite Wisconsin being a balanced state politically, the current map shows six Republican representatives and only two Democrats. He said it is crucial to have a Supreme Court that can allow for fairer district lines. Crawford's opponents, including Republican Party members, have accused her of trying to gain support from donors with promises of altering these maps. Crawford has denied these claims. The upcoming April 1 election is vital because it will determine the balance of power in the court. If Crawford wins, the court will have a liberal majority. If her conservative opponent, Brad Schimel, wins, the conservatives will regain control. Jeffries emphasized the stakes during an online event, revealing that Democrats need only three more House seats to effectively block Republican policies. Crawford previously joined a Zoom call with Democratic donors where the issue of congressional redistricting was discussed. She claims that she only shared her motivations for running for the Supreme Court and did not talk about redistricting. Republicans have criticized Crawford, framing her election as a threat to the integrity of voter representation in Wisconsin. Crawford's spokesman stated that she has pledged to be fair and impartial on any issues she may face if elected to the court.