The National Democratic Redistricting Committee announced Monday that it was giving $350,000 to two local organizations—Together Wisconsin Acts and Black Leaders Organizing Communities—to support Lisa Neubauer in the nonpartisan race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

 

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (D), who founded the group, is also set to travel to Wisconsin for two days next week.

 

The Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education, For Our Future, and the Center for Popular Democracy Action have also collectively spent $229,000 on printing costs and other canvassing-related expenses to support Neubauer.

 

Brian Hagedorn, who is also running for the seat, has been backed by Americans for Prosperity, which spent $17,000 on canvassing costs.

 

While both candidates have said their judicial decision-making is not impacted by any ideological leanings, the race is considered a proxy partisan battle.

 

Conservatives, who support Hagedorn, hold a 4-3 majority on the court heading into the election. Like Shirley Abrahamson, who is retiring and leaving this seat open, Neubauer has been backed by liberals.

 

If conservatives win this seat, it will expand their majority on the court to 5-2. If liberals retain Abrahamson’s seat, it will set up a battle for control of the court in 2020, when Dan Kelly, who was appointed to the court in 2016 by Gov. Scott Walker (R), will stand for election for the first time.

 

The election will be held on April 2, 2019.