Democrats across the country celebrated after the liberal-leaning candidate won a high-profile election on Tuesday for a seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, protecting the liberal majority on the bench.
Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford defeated conservative-leaning Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general who currently serves as a state circuit court judge in Waukesha County. Schimel was endorsed by President Donald Trump, and the president’s billionaire senior advisor, Elon Musk, spent millions of dollars to oppose Crawford’s candidacy.
After a massive infusion of money from Democrat-aligned and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin, which turned the race into the most expensive judicial election in the nation’s history, the election partially transformed into a referendum on Trump’s action during the early months of his second term in the White House.
Following Crawford’s victory, Democrats said voters in Wisconsin, a battleground state, sent a clear message to reject Trump, Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency — which is led by Musk — as well as the Republican Party’s agenda.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wrote: “Wisconsinites proved we will not be bought — not by the richest or most powerful people in the world or anyone else.”
Musk had handed out $1 million checks at a rally in Green Bay on Sunday evening to two Wisconsin voters who had already cast ballots in the contest and had signed a petition to stop “activist judges.” Wisconsin’s Democrat state attorney general sued to block the payments, but the state Supreme Court refused to weigh in.
“This election was about the resilience of the Wisconsin and American values that define and unite us,” Wisconsin’s governor said in a statement. “This election was about doing what’s best for our kids, protecting constitutional checks and balances, reaffirming our faith in the courts and the judiciary, and defending against attacks on the basic rights, freedoms, and institutions we hold dear.”
“For anyone who mistakenly believes actions and decisions in Washington are neither seen nor heard here in Wisconsin or states across our country, the people of Wisconsin responded tonight,” he added.
Sen. Tammy Balwin, D-Wisc., said Wisconsin voters “showed tonight that their votes are not for sale!”
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“Judge Crawford is a common sense judge who has always been guided by the same basic values she learned growing up in Chippewa Falls,” Baldwin said on X. “She believes in doing the right thing, she has fought to protect our rights and freedoms, and she will be a fair and impartial Justice on the WI State Supreme Court!”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that “[a]nyone who counted Democrats out was dead wrong.”
“Wisconsin voters tonight sent a decisive message to Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and DOGE by rejecting an extreme Republican for their Supreme Court: our Democracy is not for sale,” he said in a statement. “Democrats are in the fight to keep our country.”
“Elon Musk spent millions in a failed scheme to buy a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wrote on X. “Voters decisively rejected Donald Trump, Musk and the rapidly deteriorating Republican brand. Back up off the American people.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., wrote on X: “Congratulations to Wisconsin’s newest Supreme Court Justice, Susan Crawford! The voters spoke loud and clear: Wisconsin is not for sale.”
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“Wisconsin beat the billionaire,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on X, referring to Musk.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Crawford’s victory was an “amazing win for Wisconsin and the entire country.”
Wisconsin’s high court is likely to rule on crucial issues like congressional redistricting, voting and labor rights and abortion.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.