The Sconi

A spokesman with CatholicVote said Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wisc.) and Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Susan Crawford are "radicals" who want to "hikejack" the state with an "extremist agenda."

His comments come after Evers proposed to replace “mother” with “inseminated person” in state code.

“Radicals like Susan Crawford and her ally Governor Evers want to hijack the great state of Wisconsin with an out-of-touch, out-of-state extremist agenda that might play in San Francisco Bay, but not in Green Bay," Steve Cortes, senior political advisor to CatholicVote, told The Sconi.

Cortes is a political advisor and commentator. He previously traded global currencies and interest rates for 25 years for large international hedge funds. He has been an on-air broadcaster for CNBC, Fox News, and CNN. CatholicVote is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that focuses on mobilizing Catholic voters. 

Evers’ proposal, included in the 2025-2027 budget, would also replace “paternity” with “parentage” and substitute “husband” and “wife” with “spouse.” 

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel, who is running against Crawford in the April 1 Supreme Court race, said those who support Gov. Tony Evers’ (D-Wisc.) proposal to replace “mother” with “inseminated person” in state code are “radicals” who “want to erase mothers.”

Schimel also asked where Crawford stands on Evers’ proposal.

“Radicals backing Susan Crawford want to erase mothers and call them inseminated persons,” Schimel told Wisconsin Right Now. “Men are men. Women are women.”

“Can Susan Crawford say the same?” asked Schimel.

Evers' proposal would have to first pass through the Republican-controlled state legislature and, if Evers vetoes changes to his budget, the legislature could override the veto with enough votes.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court could end up weighing in on the proposal if legal challenges arise. 

Advocacy groups or individuals could decide to file lawsuits challenging the state’s existing parental terminology. If the legislature rejects Evers' proposal, lawsuits could be filed by liberal advocacy groups or other supporters of the proposal. A legal dispute could also emerge if Evers uses his veto power to implement changes, prompting Republican lawmakers to challenge his authority in court. Additionally, county-level family court disputes could lead to lawsuits that reach Wisconsin’s high court.

The Supreme Court currently has a 4-3 liberal majority, but Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s retirement has made the seat competitive. If Susan Crawford, the liberal candidate, wins, the court would likely support legal challenges supporting Evers’ proposal. If Brad Schimel, the conservative candidate, wins, the court would shift to a 4-3 conservative majority, increasing the likelihood of rulings that uphold the legislature’s authority and maintain existing law.

Schimel is a judge on the Waukesha County Circuit Court and was the state Attorney General from 2015 to 2019 after being elected as a Republican. Before that, he was the Waukesha County District Attorney from 2007 to 2015. 

Crawford is a judge on the Dane County Circuit Court and a former attorney in private practice. She was elected to the bench in 2018. Before serving as a judge, she worked as an assistant attorney general in the Wisconsin Department of Justice under state Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager (D).