Is the Musk magic waning? Susan Crawford wins record-breaking judicial race

The win preserves a 4-3 liberal majority on the court.

PUBLISHED APR 2, 2025

Judge Susan Crawford greets supporters after her victory in the race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice during an election night event on April 01, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Madison, Wisconsin: Susan Crawford, a liberal judge, secured a crucial victory in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election Tuesday, defeating conservative Brad Schimel in the most expensive judicial race in US history. The win preserves a 4-3 liberal majority on the court, which will rule on major cases involving abortion, labor rights, and potential redistricting.

Crawford framed the race as a defense of democracy against outside influence, particularly from Elon Musk, who spent over $20 million supporting Schimel.

"Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price," she declared in her victory speech. Musk had claimed the race could "decide the future of America", offering financial incentives to voters opposing "activist judges".

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Schimel, a former GOP attorney general, conceded graciously, urging his supporters to accept the results. The race saw record-breaking $80 million in spending and high turnout, with some Milwaukee polling locations running out of ballots.

Democrats leveraged Musk’s involvement to energize voters, with state party chair Ben Wikler noting an "explosion" in grassroots donations. Voters like Jeannine Ramsey expressed anger over Musk’s interference, calling it "shameful".

DNC Chair Ken Martin hailed the result as a rejection of "billionaire special interests". Crawford, now turning from campaigning to judging, pledged "fair and impartial decisions" — and joked about her mother’s relief that attack ads were finally over.