Special Poll
Susan Crawford has been projected to win a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, preserving the court’s 4–3 liberal majority and dealing a political setback to both President Trump and Elon Musk, whose efforts to sway the race fell short, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Crawford, currently serving as a Dane County circuit judge, defeated conservative challenger Brad Schimel, a former Republican state attorney general, for the open seat vacated by retiring liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley.
The high-stakes race was widely viewed as the first major political test since Trump’s second inauguration, and one that drew intense national attention, record-breaking donations, and sharp partisan divides. It was especially seen as a referendum on the influence of Elon Musk, whose America PAC poured over $12 million into supporting Schimel. Musk even appeared in Wisconsin on the Sunday before the election, personally distributing $1 million checks to voters who had signed a petition targeting what he called “activist judges.”
President Trump also threw his weight behind Schimel, urging his supporters across Wisconsin to turn out in large numbers. Despite their high-profile involvement, both men came up short as voters rallied behind Crawford, handing progressives a significant victory in a state often seen as a political bellwether.
For Wisconsin Republicans, the outcome marks the second consecutive Supreme Court race lost to liberals. Just last year, Justice Janet Protasiewicz defeated conservative Dan Kelly, flipping the court from conservative to liberal control for the first time in over a decade. Tuesday’s result shuts the door on efforts to reverse that shift for now.
The election shattered previous fundraising records, far surpassing the already expensive 2023 race. But beyond the money, the contest was also shaped by the broader national political climate, especially in light of Trump’s early second-term policies and recent controversies.
Democrats and the Crawford campaign tapped into public backlash over Musk’s growing political presence and his role in implementing controversial budget cuts as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The race also followed closely on the heels of a Signal app scandal involving top Trump officials discussing military operations in a group chat that inadvertently included a journalist another issue that Democrats pointed to as emblematic of chaos in the Trump administration.
With her win, Crawford not only keeps the court’s balance in liberal hands but also sends a clear message that voters in swing states like Wisconsin may be growing weary of the heavy-handed political tactics coming out of Washington. For Trump and Musk, the loss underscores the limits of their influence even in races where they’ve invested heavily.