Crawford crushes Schimel as Wisconsin voters reject Musk’s millions

Progressives will retain control of the State Supreme Court. Elsewhere, the Voter ID constitutional amendment passes and Jill Underly is ahead in her quest for a second term vs. Brittany Kinser.

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court will remain controlled by progressive justices as voters on Tuesday elected Susan Crawford and soundly rejected public appeals by the world richest man, Elon Musk, on behalf of conservative candidate Brad Schimel.

Crawford, a Dane County judge, will assume the seat of retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, keeping intact the court’s 4-3 liberal majority. 

Schimel, a Waukesha County judge who previously served as Wisconsin attorney general under former Gov. Scott Walker, firmly embraced an endorsement by President Donald Trump and an estimated $25 million in support from Elon Musk. 

The race, initially framed around issues including abortion rights and criminal justice cases, came to be seen as a referendum on Musk and Trump and their ongoing efforts to fire tens of thousands of federal employees, end critical programs, and threaten future cuts to workers’ and retirees’ benefits.

“I got into this race to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Wisconsinites,” Crawford told cheering supporters at her victory party.

She credited her upbringing in Chippewa Falls and said she never thought she’d be going up against the world’s richest man.

“My promise to Wisconsin is clear,” she said. “I will be a fair, impartial, and common sense justice.”

Justice-elect Susan Crawford delivers remarks at her victory rally after winning election to a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, cementing a progressive majority and dealing a significant blow to Elon Musk and President Donald Trump who backed losing conservative candidate Brad Schimel. (Photo posted by Crawford campaign Facebook page.)

Schimel delivered brief, subdued remarks to his supporters and told them they had to accept the results.

“We’re not going to pull this off,” he said. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The Associated Press called the race shortly after 9:00 p.m. local time, with about two-thirds of voting wards reporting. The liberal candidates that compose the majority won by large margins in four of the last five elections, with Crawford on track to also have a double-digit victory. Only conservative Brian Hagedorn’s one-point win in 2019 over Lisa Neubauer was an exception.

The next two Supreme Court elections will involve conservatives defending their seats (Rebecca Bradley in 2026 and Chief Justice Annette Ziegler in 2027), so liberal control of the court could be in place until 2028, barring anything unforeseen.

In becoming a proxy fight over Trump’s first 10 weeks in office, the election smashed the previous record for the most expensive judicial campaign in American history—a record set two years ago when Justice Janet Protasiewicz was elected and gave progressives a court majority for the first time in 15 years.

Crawford embraced the backing of Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights advocates, running ads that highlighted Schimel’s opposition to the procedure, while Schimel’s campaign tried to portray Crawford as weak on crime.

The court likely will be deciding cases on abortion, public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. 

State Superintendent Race 

In the race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction. Incumbent Jill Underly is on track to win a second term and fend off a challenge by charter and voucher schools supporter Brittany Kinser. The race had not yet been called by the Associated Press as this story was published, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Decision Desk has projected an Underly victory.

Voter ID Constitutional Amendment Passes

Wisconsin’s photo ID requirement for voting will be elevated from state law to constitutional amendment under a proposal approved by voters.

The Republican-controlled Legislature placed the measure on the ballot and pitched it as a way to bolster election security and protect the law from being overturned in court.

Democratic opponents argued that photo ID requirements are often enforced unfairly, making voting more difficult for people of color, disabled people, and poor people.

Wisconsin voters will not notice any change when they go to the polls. They will still have to present a valid photo ID just as they have under the state law, which was passed in 2011 and went into effect permanently in 2016 after a series of unsuccessful lawsuits.

Placing the photo ID requirement in the constitution makes it more difficult for a future Legislature controlled by Democrats to change the law. Any constitutional amendment must be approved in two consecutive legislative sessions and by a statewide popular vote.

Wisconsin is one of nine states where people must present photo ID to vote, and its requirement is the nation’s strictest, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thirty-six states have laws requiring or requesting that voters show some sort of identification, according to the NCSL.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.