Wisconsin voters elected Susan Crawford to the state Supreme Court on Tuesday, preserving its 4-3 liberal majority in a significant setback for former US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who had supported her conservative opponent.
The election was widely seen as an early referendum on Trump’s influence and the future direction of the court.
The contest became the most expensive judicial election in US history, with over $90 million spent by candidates, political parties, and external groups, according to New York University’s Brennan Centre.
Crawford, a county judge, defeated conservative candidate Brad Schimel, a former Republican state attorney general and fellow county judge. Schimel conceded in a phone call to Crawford and later addressed his supporters.
With 88% of the vote counted, Crawford led by nine percentage points, securing a margin of approximately 191,000 votes.
With the balance of the court at stake, Musk and associated political groups invested over $21 million in support of Schimel. Crawford framed the election as a battle between herself and the billionaire’s influence.
"As a little girl growing up in Chippewa Falls, I never imagined I’d be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin. And we won!" Crawford told supporters during a celebration in Madison, the state capital.
Trump refrained from commenting on the Supreme Court result on social media, instead focusing on celebrating the victory of a separate Wisconsin ballot measure requiring stricter voter identification.
Democrats hailed the outcome as a crucial step toward their goal of reclaiming the US House of Representatives in 2026.
"Tonight, the people of Wisconsin firmly rejected the influence of Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and billionaire special interests," said Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, in a statement.
Wisconsin voters appeared aware of the broader implications of the election.
"Supporting everyday people is more important than backing candidates supported by Elon Musk or billionaires," said West Roberts, 26, a Crawford supporter in Madison.
Conversely, retiree Gary Christenson, who voted for Schimel, expressed concerns about the court's direction. "If a liberal gets in there, they’ll continue trying to undo Trump’s efforts to shrink government," he said.
Florida Republicans Hold Ground
Meanwhile, in another test of Trump’s political strength, two Florida Republicans won special elections to fill US House vacancies created by his cabinet appointments.
The victories expanded the Republican majority in the House to 220-213.
Republicans had been expected to retain both seats easily, but the focus was on how closely the Democrats could contest them.
In one district encompassing Daytona Beach, Republican state senator Randy Fine defeated Democrat Josh Weil, a public school teacher, by a margin of around 14 percentage points.
This marked a significant shift, as former Republican Representative Michael Waltz had previously won the seat by 33 points before joining Trump’s administration as National Security Advisor.
In another contest in the Pensacola region, Republican state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis triumphed over Democrat Gay Valimont, a gun violence prevention advocate.
Patronis secured a nearly 15-point victory, compared to Valimont’s previous 32-point loss to Trump’s former Attorney General nominee, Matt Gaetz.
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court and the National Stakes
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court is expected to play a pivotal role in upcoming decisions on voting rights and election rules ahead of the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race.
The state remains a critical battleground, with Trump winning Wisconsin by less than a percentage point in November—making it the closest margin of any state.
The court is also likely to decide whether abortion rights remain legal in Wisconsin and could potentially revisit a Republican-backed law that stripped most public sector workers of collective bargaining rights.
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