MADISON – The two candidates for the state Supreme Court have spent more than $1.4 million, breaking the previous record high for spending, reports filed Monday show.
Madison attorney Linda Clifford and Washington County Circuit Judge Annette Ziegler reported to the state Elections Board that they have raised just over $1 million since Jan. 1 and spent $1.32 million. Taking into account spending prior to this year, the two have poured more than $1.43 million into the contest to be decided next week.
Their spending breaks the previous record of $1.3 million spent in a 1999 race, according to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
The latest reports track spending and donations received this year through March 19, just two weeks before the April 3 election.
Ziegler reported raising $612,000 this year and spending $754,000. With money raised last year and $450,000 in loans she's made to her campaign, Ziegler reported having about $103,000 on hand heading into the election.
Clifford raised $459,000 this year, spent $565,000 and had $161,000 on hand. She has loaned her campaign $225,000.
Additionally, three outside groups have spent an estimated $1.7 million on TV ads and other campaign-related activity, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. The Greater Wisconsin Committee has run ads critical of Ziegler, while the Club for Growth Wisconsin and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce have run ads backing Ziegler.
The groups' spending combined with what the candidates have shelled out brings the grand total to more than $3.1 million.
Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, previously predicted spending on the race would be between $3 million and $5 million, but now he says it may be closer to $6 million.
"We've never seen the likes of this kind of race before for state Supreme Court," he said. "They've still got a couple of weeks to go and have a couple of weeks to raise even more."
The winner will serve a 10-year term, replacing retiring Justice Jon Wilcox, who is generally viewed as one of three conservatives on the court along with Justices Patience Roggensack and David Prosser. The more liberal members are Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and Justices Ann Walsh Bradley and Louis Butler, with Justice Patrick Crooks seen as a swing vote.
Ziegler, 43, has been a judge for 10 years. Clifford, 58, has been an attorney for 32 years.