Both Marilyn Townsend (left) and Susan Crawford tout their experience and progressive creditials as they compete for Dane County judge.
If the Dane County Circuit Court race feels familiar, you’re not going crazy. Just as in 2017, this year’s contest is between a municipal judge and a Madison attorney, both prominent names with long careers and solid progressive credentials in the community. Both say they’re committed to addressing racial disparity in the criminal justice system and expanding access to restorative justice, and both believe they’re the best woman for the job.
Marilyn Townsend, a labor attorney and municipal judge for Shorewood Hills, and Susan Crawford, a partner at Pines Bach law firm, face off in the April 3 election. They’re vying for the Branch 1 position to be vacated by Judge Timothy Samuelson, who was appointed last June by Gov. Scott Walker but is not running for election.
This is Townsend’s second try for a Circuit Court seat. Last spring, she lost to former prosecutor Jill Karofsky in a hard-fought race for Branch 12. It was a crushing defeat for Townsend, who lost by about 13,000 votes. Townsend has since hired Karofsky’s former campaign manager, Melissa Mulliken, to run her campaign. “Whenever you run, you hope to win, and I didn’t win last time,” Townsend tells Isthmus. “But I’m running again because I do have a strong desire to serve on the Circuit Court, and I bring unique judicial and legal qualifications.”
Townsend believes last year’s campaign failed in part because “there wasn’t enough emphasis” on her background. An attorney in Dane County since 1987, she has spent much of her career representing labor unions and individuals facing workplace discrimination. She is also adamant that her experience as a municipal judge sets her apart in the race. “I’ve been elected three times, I’ve overseen and decided more than 3,000 cases, I’ve presided over trials, issued written decisions and managed a courtroom,” Townsend says. “I will be able to hit the ground running on day one as a circuit court judge, and the people of Dane County can know what kind of judge I will be.”
Crawford also believes her background and legal experience set her apart. Prior to joining Pines Bach in 2011, she served as chief legal counsel for former Gov. Jim Doyle, held administrative positions in several state agencies and served as an assistant attorney general for the state Department of Justice. She counts among her clients Planned Parenthood, Madison Teachers, Inc. and the Sierra Club. She spent the first nine years of her career practicing criminal law, something she say sets her apart from her opponent.
“I think it’s important for judges to have a broad base in the law,” Crawford says. “[Branch 1] is on a criminal rotation now, so whoever is elected needs to be ready on day one to preside.”
This is Crawford’s first bid for elected office. Seeking a judgeship is something she has been thinking about for years, and she says her decision to seek election now stems from a sense of frustration with the current political situation. “I’ve seen the role that courts can play in protecting our rights,” she says. If elected, she would advocate for expanding access to jail diversion programs for offenders as well as access to data on criminal case outcomes for judges.
Both candidates also describe their campaign strategy as “grassroots.” Townsend appears to be placing greater emphasis on events, appearing at more than 20 fundraisers, receptions and meet-and-greets since announcing, according to her campaign events page. Crawford’s schedule has been quieter, with her campaign website showing just a dozen events since her Nov. 8 kickoff party. Crawford says she has also attended numerous meet-and-greet events, plus meetings with community groups, neighborhood associations, law firms, advocacy organizations over the past six months.
The biggest difference is the candidates’ approach to fundraising. Townsend touts her pledge to limit campaign contributions to $500. “It is critical that voters have confidence in judges as independent arbiters who will apply the law fairly,” Townsend says. “There is too much money in judicial campaigns, so I’m doing what I can do.”
But Crawford, who is not limiting campaign donations, says that Townsend’s decision won’t do much to keep money out of the judicial race. She’s critical of Townsend’s decision to self-fund, pointing to a personal loan of $130,000 on Townsend’s campaign finance report. “If the only way to become a Dane County Circuit Court Judge is to spend $130,000 it’s a sad state of affairs.”
Campaign finance reports filed Feb. 12 show that Townsend has raised about $4,700 from individual donations and spent about $36,600 on her campaign between Jan. 1 and Feb. 5, including $33,700 to Mulliken for consulting fees. The reports show a loan of $130,500 and a cash balance of $33,000. During the same period, Crawford raised about $14,000 from individual donations and spent $6,000, including $2,250 in consulting fees to Eric LaGesse. She took out a loan for $5,000 and has a cash balance of about $35,000.
Both candidates have earned prominent endorsements. Crawford is backed by eight of the current and 15 former Dane County Circuit Court judges, County Executive Joe Parisi and Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney. Townsend’s supporters include more than 30 current and former municipal judges, plus former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold and a dozen labor organizations.
