Musk, Soros and Millions Collide in Heated Wisconsin Court Showdown

The race for a seat on Wisconsin's Supreme Court turned into a political battlefield this week, as national figures and millions in donations flooded the contest between former Attorney General Brad Schimel and circuit court judge Susan Crawford. Despite the officially nonpartisan nature of the race, it became a magnet for ideological heavyweights on both sides.

Susan Crawford emerged victorious, but Republicans claimed a win as well, successfully pushing through a referendum to enshrine voter ID laws into the state constitution. It's clear the stakes were sky-high, with Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., noting before the polls closed, "There's a lot at stake." Spoiler alert: understatement of the century.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump rallied behind Schimel, while George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker threw their weight behind Crawford. Musk even made headlines for a last-minute rally in Wisconsin, where he offered $1 million each to two attendees. That might just redefine "campaign contribution." Meanwhile, Pritzker's involvement drew sharp criticism from Wisconsin Republicans, wary of what they saw as an out-of-state progressive meddling in local politics. Rep. Glenn Grothman didn’t mince words, saying, "We don't want him determining Wisconsin." Well, message received.

The election also reignited debates over some hot-button issues, including voter ID laws and collective bargaining rights for government employees. Republicans like Fitzgerald speculated that the left might try to challenge redistricting maps ahead of the next election. "They clearly have their sights set on that," he remarked, hinting at potential legal battles on the horizon.

Crawford, for her part, has kept her cards close to her chest on many of these issues, though her past work as an attorney advocating for abortion rights and opposing voter ID laws has fueled GOP criticism. Still, her win signals a shift that could have profound implications for Wisconsin's judicial landscape.

As Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., put it ahead of the vote, "In Wisconsin, we are focused on safeguarding school choice, upholding parental rights, and preserving voter ID." With the results now in, both sides are gearing up for what promises to be an intense period of legal and political maneuvering.