MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Susan Crawford, a liberal judge from Dane County, has secured a decisive victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, defeating conservative candidate Brad Schimel, who former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk backed.
Crawford’s win solidifies a liberal majority on the court for at least three more years. It represents a major political shift in a race that became a national proxy battle over judicial influence, voter rights, and corporate involvement in politics.
Crawford Celebrates Victory, Calls Out Musk’s Influence
Standing on stage with the court’s four liberal justices, Crawford framed her victory as a stand against billionaire influence and political meddling.
“Growing up in Chippewa Falls, I never could have imagined that I would be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin,” Crawford said. “And we won.”
Musk and groups he funded had poured more than $21 million into efforts to defeat Crawford. In an unusual move, Musk personally handed out $1 million checks to two voters in Wisconsin just days before the election.
Crawford criticized the role of outside money in the campaign, declaring:
“Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy, our fair elections, and our Supreme Court. Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price, our courts are not for sale.”
A High-Stakes, Record-Breaking Election
Crawford’s victory over Schimel came by more than 8 percentage points, with turnout exceeding 52% of the voting-age population, a record for a Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Spending also shattered previous records, nearing $100 million.
Schimel, a former state attorney general, conceded defeat but faced angry reactions from his supporters. As some in the crowd chanted “Cheater, cheater!” he urged calm:
“No, you’ve got to accept the results.”
Schimel, who plays in a classic rock cover band, took the stage with his group after conceding, performing songs by the Allman Brothers and Tom Petty at his election night event.
National Implications and Musk’s Response
The election was widely seen as a referendum on Trump’s first months back in office and on Musk’s growing political involvement. Musk, who now leads the Department of Government Efficiency, has aggressively cut federal agency budgets and eliminated thousands of government jobs.
Reacting to the loss, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary.”
However, he took solace in voters approving a measure that elevates Wisconsin’s photo ID requirement for voting from state law to a constitutional amendment.
What’s Next for the Wisconsin Supreme Court?
Crawford’s win preserves the court’s 4-3 liberal majority, ensuring that key cases on abortion, voting rights, and redistricting will be decided by a left-leaning bench. The court also plays a pivotal role in election-related disputes, making this victory critical ahead of future presidential elections in the swing state.
During the campaign, Schimel had warned that a Crawford victory would lead to a redrawing of congressional district boundaries to favor Democrats—an argument Musk and Trump amplified in the final days of the race.
With no liberal justice up for election until 2028, the outcome cements Democratic influence on the court for years to come.
A Battle Over Billionaire Influence
The race shattered previous spending records, surpassing the $51 million spent in Wisconsin’s 2023 Supreme Court election.
- Musk contributed $3 million personally, while groups he funded funneled an additional $18 million into Schimel’s campaign.
- George Soros and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker were among the Democratic donors supporting Crawford.
- Musk also gave $1 million each to three voters who signed a petition against “activist” judges.
Democrats seized on Musk’s outsized influence in the race. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler said:
“Ultimately, I think it’s going to help Susan Crawford because people do not want to see Elon Musk buying election after election.”
At polling places, some voters echoed that sentiment. Jim Hazelton, a 68-year-old veteran, said he wasn’t planning to vote but cast his ballot for Crawford after seeing Musk and Trump get involved.
“He’s cutting everything,” Hazelton said of Musk. “People need these things he’s cutting.”
What’s Next for Trump, Musk, and Wisconsin Politics?
The result deals a blow to Trump’s influence in Wisconsin, a key swing state in national elections. The former president, along with his son Donald Trump Jr., had campaigned heavily for Schimel in recent weeks.
Trump, acknowledging the court’s importance, had said before Election Day:
“Winning Wisconsin’s a big deal, so therefore the Supreme Court choice … it’s a big race.”
As Republicans regroup following the loss, Democrats are celebrating what they see as a major victory for judicial independence and democracy in the state.
