Liberal Susan Crawford beats Musk-backed candidate in Wisconsin
4 Min Read
A liberal US judge claims a win against Republican Brad Schimel in a record-breaking judicial race.
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Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford speaks during her election night party after winning the election on April 1, 2025, in Madison, Wisconsin. (AP)
Susan Crawford secured a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday, marking a significant victory for Democrats, who positioned the race as a measure of Elon Musk and Donald Trump's influence.
Crawford, a liberal judge from Dane County, defeated conservative judge and former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel from Waukesha County. The race became the most expensive judicial election in US history after Musk and affiliated groups poured millions into supporting Schimel’s campaign.
In her victory speech in Madison, Crawford said, “Today, Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy...Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price. Our courts are not for sale.”
With over 84% of votes counted, Crawford held a nearly 10-point lead over Schimel.
Schimel said his team gave their all and announced that he had conceded the race in a call to Crawford before addressing his supporters, silencing boos from the crowd. “No, you gotta accept the results,” he said, “The numbers aren’t gonna turn around. They’re too bad, and we’re not gonna pull this off.”
Hours after the result came out, Musk said, "The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary," adding that the most important thing was that a vote on the addition of voter ID requirements passed.
What do the results mean?
According to the report, the result means that liberals will keep a 4-3 ideological majority on the state supreme court. That majority is hugely significant because the court will hear major cases on abortion and collective bargaining rights. The court could also potentially consider cases that could cause the state to redraw its eight congressional districts, which are currently drawn to advantage Republicans.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest city, reported “historic turnout” for a spring election, with election officials saying in a statement Tuesday evening that due to the “unprecedented high turnout,” seven polling places ran out of ballots. The city’s elections commission said it was working to replenish resources for voters during the evening rush.
A combined $80 million and more was spent on the race, topping the previous record of some $51 million that was spent in the 2023 Wisconsin state supreme court race. Elon Musk and affiliated groups spent more than $20 million alone. Musk reprised some of the tactics that he used last fall to help Trump win, including offering $100 to people who signed a petition opposing “activist judges” and offering $1 million checks to voters.
Pointing to the potential to redraw House districts, Musk had said the race “might decide the future of America and western civilization”.
'Musk involvement unwelcome'
Democrats used Musk’s involvement in the race to mobilize voters frustrated with his efforts to dismantle federal agencies. They framed Wisconsin as a test case for Musk’s influence, warning that a win would embolden him to expand his model nationwide.
“Growing up in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, I never thought I would be taking on the richest man in the world for justice,” Crawford said Tuesday night. “And we won.”
After Musk’s role became public, grassroots donations surged, and voter engagement spiked, according to Ben Wikler, Wisconsin’s Democratic party chair. Messaging that highlighted Musk’s involvement proved especially effective in motivating disengaged voters.
It is worth noting that Trump won Wisconsin in the presidential election in November by less than 1 percentage point – the closest margin of any battleground state.
Read next: Musk offers $1 mln prizes for two Wisconsin voters to boost GOP
Jeannine Ramsey, 65, voted for Crawford in Madison, saying, “Elon Musk-supported Brad Schimel” wouldn’t rule fairly on key issues. “I think it’s shameful that Elon Musk can come here and spend millions of dollars and try to bribe the citizens,” she said.
While some caution against reading too much into the results for national politics, Democrats see it as a promising sign. DNC chair Ken Martin called the outcome a clear rejection of Musk, Trump, and billionaire influence.
In Madison, Crawford, calling the campaign a “life-altering experience,” pledged to “deliver fair and impartial decisions” from the bench. She ended her speech with a birthday wish for her mother, adding, “I know how glad you are to see the TV ads end.”
