Democrats Maintain Majority on Wisconsin Supreme Court in Critical Election Victory

Democrats scored a key electoral victory on Tuesday as Susan Crawford secured a seat at Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, beating Republican Brad Schimel in the process.

With 56% of the votes tallied, Crawford received 56% of the vote, compared to Schimel’s 43%. The last poll before the election showed the Democrat with a solid lead, getting 53% of the support compared to Schimel’s 46%.

The race grabbed national headlines as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, among others, threw their weight behind the Republican candidate. Liberals currently hold a 4-3 majority on the court, but the retirement of a liberal justice later this year put the court’s ideological balance on the line.

Musk in particular invested time and money in the race, going to Wisconsin to hold events and giving out money to those supporting him and Schimel. The head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and groups with ties to him have spent some $20 million to help Schimel tilt the court toward a more conservative approach. “I think this will be important for the future of civilization,” Musk said on Sunday before some 2,000 people in Green Bay.

Musk also gave $2 million to Wisconsin voters at the event on Sunday, declaring them spokespeople for his political group. His political action committee (PAC) also offered $100 to Wisconsin voters if they sign a petition of the kind. “By signing below, I’m rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role — interpreting, not legislating,” reads the petition. Those who sign and submit their data will then get the money.

Crawford, in turn, got donations from high-profile figures tied to the Democratic party like George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. She also took on Musk while campaigning, calling him her “opponent” and saying she never imagined the race would come down to battling “the richest man in the world.”

Overall, some $90 million were spent in the race, almost doubling the previous record, $51 million, according to The Associated Press, which quoted the Brennan Center.