Wisconsin's Court Shakes Up: The Unexpected Victory

The Wisconsin Supreme Court saw a significant shift when Susan Crawford won a seat, keeping the liberal majority alive. This victory was a surprise to many, especially since Elon Musk had poured millions into opposing her. Crawford, a Dane County circuit judge, beat Brad Schimel, a Waukesha County circuit judge and former Republican attorney general. This race was closely watched because it was the first big election in President Trump's second term and became the most expensive state Supreme Court race ever. Musk's involvement was a big deal. He spent a lot of money, visited Wisconsin, and talked about the race on his social media. Democrats saw this as a chance to make Musk the main target, criticizing his influence and his plans to cut government jobs. Crawford's win means liberals will keep their 4-3 advantage on the court, which will handle important cases about abortion, unions, and voting maps. Despite Musk's spending, Democrats had a slight edge in ad spending. They attacked Musk for trying to "buy" the election, while Crawford used Musk as a way to rally her supporters. Democrats also pointed out that Musk's company, Tesla, had legal issues in Wisconsin. Musk even offered money to voters to sign a petition against "activist judges, " which Democrats criticized. The race was also about crime and reproductive rights. Both sides tried to paint the other as weak on crime, even though the Supreme Court rarely deals with sentencing. Crawford focused on Schimel's handling of rape kits when he was attorney general. Democrats also made Crawford's support for reproductive rights a big part of their campaign, especially with abortion cases already before the court. The court will likely decide on important cases, like abortion rights, union rights, and voting maps. Liberals gained a majority on the court in 2023, and this victory keeps that majority. The court will also deal with cases about gerrymandering and collective bargaining. With more elections coming up, this victory could set the stage for future battles.