Wisconsin’s conservative candidate, Judge Brad Schimel, won the state’s Supreme Court election on Tuesday, securing 62% of President Trump’s voters. However, the Republican goal was to surpass 60% of Mr. Trump’s vote share. Despite this, Democrats suffered a significant defeat in their own party’s primary. Liberal candidate Susan Crawford secured an impressive 78% of Vice President Kamala Harris’s vote total in Wisconsin, exceeding expectations.
The result highlights the growing strength of Democratic turnout in the state. Crawford’s percentage of the Harris vote was higher than Schimel’s percentage of the Trump vote in every single county. The liberal candidate’s lead was strongest in college towns and rural areas, where the Democratic Party has a significant organizational advantage.
In contrast, Republicans relied on a surge of Trump voters to boost their chances. However, this strategy proved limited, particularly in rural areas. Democrats’ door-to-door canvassing efforts paid off, while Republican efforts focused on suburban areas, ultimately fell short.
The election outcome underscores the challenges faced by Republicans in building a robust organization to compete with the Democratic Party’s well-established network. This limitation may hinder their ability to reach rural voters in future contests.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/us/politics/wisconsin-turnout-democrats-republicans.html