- Liberal candidate Susan Crawford defeated Elon Musk-backed Brad Schimel in a high-stakes election. Crawford secured a 10-year term and shifted control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which could influence cases like redistricting and abortion laws.
- The race became the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, with over $100 million spent, including $24 million from Musk supporting Schimel and $2 million from Democratic donor George Soros backing Crawford.
- Both candidates leveraged their opponents’ billionaire supporters in campaign ads, with Crawford celebrating her victory as a triumph over Musk and Schimel labeling her as aligned with Soros and other liberal figures.
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In the campaign for a seat on Wisconsin’s high court, liberal candidate Susan Crawford defeated Elon Musk-backed Brad Schimel on Tuesday night, April 1.
The election decided which side of the political aisle controlled the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Crawford, a Dane County judge, bested the Waukesha County judge by a 54-46 margin as of Tuesday night.
Though the race is nonpartisan, Musk called the election the most important in the country. Crawford will serve a 10-year term and could end up being the deciding vote on high-profile cases such as congressional redistricting and abortion laws.
Heavyweight bout
The election became the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history. Even though Wisconsin caps individual contributions at $20,000, donations to political parties and political action committees aren’t limited. One news outlet reportedly tallied the total spending at more than $100 million. Billionaire Musk contributed more than $24 million to Schimel.
Musk sponsored an event in support of Schimel last month that raised questions when he announced a $1 million giveaway for Wisconsin voters who signed a petition opposing activist judges.
In Crawford’s corner was Democratic billionaire Soros, though he contributed only $2 million to support her campaign.
In addition to Soros, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also supported Crawford’s campaign. The billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotels chain sent Wisconsin Democrats $1.5 million in the current election cycle. The party spent $11 million supporting Crawford. In 2021, Pritzker signed legislation banning out-of-state contributions to judicial elections in Illinois. Wisconsin Public Radio reports Dick Uihlein, founder of Illinois-based packing company Uline, donated nearly $8 million along with his wife.
Billionaires on billboards
The two candidates used the others’ billionaire supporters in attack ads.
“As a little girl growing up in Chippewa Falls, I never could have imagined that I’d be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin, and we won,” Crawford said Tuesday night.
Schimel labeled Crawford as a Soros ally along the campaign trail.
“Susan Crawford takes her marching orders from George Soros, JB Pritzker, anti-ICE sheriffs, and Defund the Police radicals,” his campaign said in a post to X.
