MADISON, Wis. — The Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Courtroom defeated a challenger endorsed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday, touting her victory as a win towards “the richest man on the planet” and cementing a liberal majority for at the least three extra years.
Susan Crawford, a Dane County choose who led authorized fights to guard union energy and abortion rights and to oppose voter ID, stood on stage surrounded by the court docket’s 4 present liberal justices and celebrated her win as a victory for democracy whereas additionally taking a dig at Musk.
“Rising up in Chippewa Falls, I by no means may have imagined that I might be taking up the richest man on the planet for justice in Wisconsin,” Crawford mentioned. “And we received.”
Musk and teams he backed had spent greater than $21 million in an effort to defeat Crawford. Musk even traveled to Wisconsin two days earlier than the election to personally hand over $1 million checks to 2 voters.
“At this time Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented assault on our democracy, our honest elections and our Supreme Courtroom,” Crawford mentioned in her victory speech. “And Wisconsin stood up and mentioned loudly that justice doesn’t have a value, our courts usually are not on the market.”
Crawford defeated Republican-backed Brad Schimel in a race that broke information for spending, was the highest-turnout Wisconsin Supreme Courtroom election ever and have become a proxy struggle for the nation’s political battles.
Musk was silent on his X platform within the wake of Crawford’s victory, reposting a message about Vietnam and tariffs however nothing on the Supreme Courtroom contest.
Trump, Musk and different Republicans lined up behind Schimel, a former state legal professional normal. Democrats together with former President Barack Obama and billionaire megadonor George Soros backed Crawford.
The primary main election within the nation since November was seen as a litmus check of how voters really feel about Trump’s first months again in workplace and the position performed by Musk, whose Division of Authorities Effectivity has torn via federal companies and laid off 1000’s of staff. Musk traveled to Wisconsin on Sunday to make a pitch for Schimel and personally hand out to $1 million checks to voters.
Turnout surpassed the earlier file for a court docket race, set in 2023, and spending was on its strategy to cross $100 million, which might double the 2023 file.
Schimel informed his supporters he had conceded to Crawford, resulting in yells of anger. One lady started to chant, “Cheater, cheater!”
“No,” Schimel mentioned. “You have to settle for the outcomes.”
Schimel performed bass along with his basic rock cowl band at his election evening social gathering each earlier than and after conceding defeat, protecting songs by the Allman Brothers, Tom Petty and others.
A state race with nationwide significance
The court docket can determine election-related legal guidelines and settle disputes over future election outcomes.
“Wisconsin’s a giant state politically, and the Supreme Courtroom has so much to do with elections in Wisconsin,” Trump mentioned Monday. “Successful Wisconsin’s a giant deal, so due to this fact the Supreme Courtroom selection … it is a large race.”
Crawford embraced the backing of Deliberate Parenthood and different abortion rights advocates, working adverts that highlighted Schimel’s opposition to the process. She additionally attacked Schimel for his ties to Musk and Republicans, referring to Musk as “Elon Schimel” throughout a debate.
Schimel’s marketing campaign tried to painting Crawford as weak on crime and puppet of Democrats who, if elected, would push to redraw congressional district boundary strains to harm Republicans and repeal a GOP-backed state legislation that took collective bargaining rights away from most public staff.
Voters in Eau Claire appeared to answer each messages. Jim Seeger, a 68-year-old retiree, mentioned he voted for Schimel as a result of he was involved about redistricting.
Jim Hazelton, a 68-year-old disabled veteran, mentioned he had deliberate to abstain however voted for Crawford after Musk – whom he known as a “pushy billionaire” – and Trump obtained concerned.
“He is reducing all the things,” Hazelton mentioned of Musk. “Folks want this stuff he is reducing.”
What’s on the court docket’s agenda?
Crawford’s win retains the court docket beneath a 4-3 liberal majority, because it has been since 2023. A liberal justice will not be up for election once more till April 2028, making certain liberals will both preserve or enhance their maintain on the court docket till then.
Crawford thanked every of the present liberal justices and hugged every of them after her win. One of many 4 is retiring, creating the open seat she received.
The court docket probably shall be deciding instances on abortion, public sector unions, voting guidelines and congressional district boundaries. Who controls the court docket additionally may issue into the way it would possibly rule on any future voting problem within the perennial presidential battleground state, which raised the stakes of the race for nationwide Republicans and Democrats.
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, campaigned for Schimel within the closing weeks and mentioned electing him was important to defending the Republican agenda. Trump endorsed Schimel simply 11 days earlier than the election.
Final 12 months the court docket declined to take up a Democratic-backed problem to congressional strains, however Schimel and Musk have mentioned that if Crawford received, the court docket would redraw congressional districts to make them extra favorable to Democrats.
Musk pushed that message on election day, each on TV and on X, urging individuals to solid ballots within the ultimate hours.
Schimel, who leaned into his Trump endorsement within the closing days of the race, mentioned he wouldn’t be beholden to the president or Musk.
Crawford benefitted from marketing campaign stops by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the vice presidential nominee final 12 months, and cash from billionaire megadonors together with Soros and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
File-breaking donations
The competition was the costliest court docket race on file within the U.S., with spending nearing $99 million, in response to a tally by the Brennan Middle for Justice. That broke the earlier file of $51 million file, for the state’s Supreme Courtroom race in 2023.
Musk contributed $3 million to the marketing campaign, whereas teams he funded poured in one other $18 million. Musk additionally gave $1 million every to a few voters who signed a petition he circulated towards “activist” judges.
Schimel leaned into his help from Trump whereas saying he wouldn’t be beholden to the president or Musk. Democrats have centered their messaging on the spending by Musk-funded teams.
“In the end I feel it is going to assist Susan Crawford, as a result of individuals don’t need to see Elon Musk shopping for election after election after election,” Wisconsin Democratic Occasion Chair Ben Wikler mentioned Monday. “If it really works right here, he’ll do it all around the nation.”
Voters weigh in on Musk and causes for whom they backed
At a polling place in Waunakee close to Madison, 39-year-old Iraq Battle veteran Taylor Sullivan mentioned he voted for Schimel for no causes linked to Trump or Musk, however slightly “as a result of I help the police as a lot as Schimel does.”
In Milwaukee, 22-year-old faculty scholar Kenneth Gifford mentioned he feels that Trump has finished harm to American establishments and that Musk is attempting to purchase votes.
“I need an precise, respectable democracy,” he mentioned.
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Related Press writers Christine Fernando in Pewaukee, Wisconsin; Ali Swenson in New York; Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta; Thomas Beaumont in Madison, Wisconsin; and Mark Vancleave in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.
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