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 in opposition to “the richest man on this planet” and cementing a liberal majority for at the least three extra years.
Susan Crawford, a Dane County decide who led authorized fights to guard union energy and abortion rights and to oppose voter ID, stood on stage surrounded by the courtroom’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 over the richest man on this planet for justice in Wisconsin,” Crawford stated. “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 the moment Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented assault on our democracy, our honest elections and our Supreme Courtroom,” Crawford stated in her victory speech. “And Wisconsin stood up and stated loudly that justice doesn’t have a worth, our courts aren’t on the market.”
Crawford defeated Republican-backed Brad Schimel in a race that broke data for spending, was the highest-turnout Wisconsin Supreme Courtroom election ever and have become a proxy battle 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 lawyer common. 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 take a look at 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 by means of federal companies and laid off hundreds of employees. 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 document for a courtroom race, set in 2023, and spending was on its approach to go $100 million, which might double the 2023 document.
Schimel instructed his supporters he had conceded to Crawford, resulting in yells of anger. One girl started to chant, “Cheater, cheater!”
“No,” Schimel stated. “You have to settle for the outcomes.”
Schimel performed bass along with his basic rock cowl band at his election night time 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 courtroom can determine election-related legal guidelines and settle disputes over future election outcomes.
“Wisconsin’s an enormous state politically, and the Supreme Courtroom has so much to do with elections in Wisconsin,” Trump stated Monday. “Profitable Wisconsin’s an enormous deal, so due to this fact the Supreme Courtroom selection … it is a massive 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 employees.
Voters in Eau Claire appeared to reply to each messages. Jim Seeger, a 68-year-old retiree, stated he voted for Schimel as a result of he was involved about redistricting.
Jim Hazelton, a 68-year-old disabled veteran, stated he had deliberate to abstain however voted for Crawford after Musk – whom he known as a “pushy billionaire” – and Trump bought concerned.
“He is reducing the whole lot,” Hazelton stated of Musk. “Folks want this stuff he is reducing.”
What’s on the courtroom’s agenda?
Crawford’s win retains the courtroom below a 4-3 liberal majority, because it has been since 2023. A liberal justice shouldn’t be up for election once more till April 2028, guaranteeing liberals will both keep or enhance their maintain on the courtroom 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 courtroom possible might be deciding circumstances on abortion, public sector unions, voting guidelines and congressional district boundaries. Who controls the courtroom 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 stated electing him was important to defending the Republican agenda. Trump endorsed Schimel simply 11 days earlier than the election.
Final 12 months the courtroom declined to take up a Democratic-backed problem to congressional strains, however Schimel and Musk have stated that if Crawford received, the courtroom 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 folks to forged ballots within the remaining hours.
Schimel, who leaned into his Trump endorsement within the closing days of the race, stated 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.
Report-breaking donations
The competition was the most costly courtroom race on document within the U.S., with spending nearing $99 million, in response to a tally by the Brennan Middle for Justice. That broke the earlier document of $51 million document, 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 in opposition to “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 should assist Susan Crawford, as a result of folks don’t need to see Elon Musk shopping for election after election after election,” Wisconsin Democratic Occasion Chair Ben Wikler stated Monday. “If it really works right here, he will do it everywhere in 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 Conflict veteran Taylor Sullivan stated he voted for Schimel for no causes related to Trump or Musk, however fairly “as a result of I help the police as a lot as Schimel does.”
In Milwaukee, 22-year-old school pupil Kenneth Gifford stated he feels that Trump has accomplished injury to American establishments and that Musk is making an attempt to purchase votes.
“I would like an precise, respectable democracy,” he stated.
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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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