Democrats celebrated a significant win in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, crushing Republican candidate Brad Schimel and handing a 4-3 liberal majority to Susan Crawford. The decisive victory came as a major blow to billionaire supporter and Trump ally Elon Musk, who spent $25 million backing Schimel.
In a statement, Crawford hailed her win as a triumph over Musk’s influence. “As a little girl, I never could have imagined that I’d be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin,” she said. The result has significant implications for next year’s congressional midterm elections and the court’s future decisions on abortion and electoral redistricting.
Democrats seized on the win, accusing Musk of trying to “buy” the election and criticizing Trump for relying too heavily on his billionaire backer. House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries called on Republicans to distance themselves from Musk, saying he was an “unelected, unpopular, unhinged and un-American billionaire puppet master.” The party’s Senate leader, Chuck Schumer, described the result as a “decisive message” against those who would sell out democracy for personal gain.
The win may also be seen as a turning point in the public perception of Musk, with recent polls showing that voters increasingly view him unfavorably. As Republicans face challenges in defending their narrow House majority, Democrats are seizing on the momentum to build support ahead of next year’s elections.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/02/democrats-wisconsin-supreme-court-win-election