Susan Crawford has won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, maintaining liberals’ narrow majority on the battleground state’s highest court. She defeated Brad Schimel, a former Republican attorney general, in the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history. Crawford’s victory defied Elon Musk, who spent millions of dollars opposing her and endorsing Schimel. Democrats and progressive groups attacked Musk’s influence in the race, accusing him of trying to buy the election and slashing federal jobs. Despite Musk’s significant spending, Democrats held a narrow ad spending advantage.
The focus of the race included issues such as abortion rights, unions, collective bargaining, and redistricting. The anti-Musk playbook used by Democrats in this race may be replicated in other elections in the future. Republicans, on the other hand, tried to energize conservative turnout by embracing support from former President Trump. Both sides also tried to paint their opponent as soft on crime.
Crawford’s support for reproductive rights was a central theme in the race, along with challenges to the state’s 1849 abortion ban and collective bargaining legislation. After liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz joined the court in 2023, a gerrymandered legislative map was overturned. The court declined to hear a suit to redraw congressional maps, but the issue may potentially come up again.
This victory allows liberals to maintain their majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court as they head into a term with significant cases on the docket. In addition, Wisconsin voters approved a voter ID law amendment to the state constitution, further solidifying conservative priorities in the state.
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