Wisconsin voters chose Judge Susan Crawford over Brad Schimel, a judge and former state attorney general, in the most expensive state supreme court election ever. Crawford’s win means the court keeps its 4-3 liberal majority.
With nearly all precincts reporting, Crawford held about 55% of the votes late Tuesday night. Earlier in the evening, Schimel called her to concede the race and told his supporters he accepted the election results.
This race drew national attention -- and record amounts of money – when billionaire Elon Musk poured millions of dollars into Schimel’s campaign. President Trump also endorsed Schimel. Illinois’ billionaire governor J.B. Pritzker was one of the major backers of Crawford’s campaign.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings this year on issues that divide the country along party lines, including abortion and redistricting. Some see this race as a referendum on President Trump’s agenda and Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency.” Spending by Crawford, Schimel, and their supporters reportedly topped $100 million.