Liberal Control Achieved: Crawford Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat

Susan Crawford, a Democrat-backed Dane County circuit judge, has won the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, maintaining the liberal majority on the court. She defeated Brad Schimel, a Republican-aligned former attorney general, in a race that became the most expensive state Supreme Court contest in U.S. history.  

The election garnered national attention, particularly due to the involvement of Elon Musk, who spent millions to support Schimel. Democrats successfully framed the race as a battle against Musk’s influence, highlighting his efforts to reduce government jobs and his company Tesla’s lawsuit against a Wisconsin law. Crawford directly challenged Musk’s involvement, stating, “As a little girl growing up in Chippewa Falls, I never could have imagined that I’d be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin. And we won.”  

Schimel conceded, acknowledging the outcome. Crawford’s victory secures a 4-3 liberal majority on the court, which will likely decide on key issues such as abortion rights, union rights, and redistricting.  

Despite significant spending by Musk and his affiliated groups, Democratic-aligned groups held a slight advantage in overall ad spending. They focused on portraying Musk as attempting to “buy” the election, while Crawford consistently used him as a political foil. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin even launched a “People v. Musk” town hall tour.  

Democrats also criticized Musk’s $100 offer to voters for signing petitions against “activist judges” and his $1 million offer for rally spokespeople. The state’s Democratic Attorney General, Josh Kaul, unsuccessfully attempted to block the latter.

While Schimel embraced an endorsement from Donald Trump in the race’s final days, Democrats largely avoided making Trump a central issue. Both campaigns accused each other of being soft on crime, and Crawford attacked Schimel’s handling of rape kit maintenance during his time as attorney general.  

The Democratic strategy of focusing on Musk’s influence could be a model for future elections. Sources and related content