Wisconsin Voters Send Loud Message: Trump and Musk Rejected in Supreme Court Election

Democrats across the nation are savoring a significant political victory after liberal-leaning candidate Susan Crawford won a pivotal election for a seat on Wisconsin's Supreme Court, securing a liberal majority on the bench. The election, which turned into an expensive and high-stakes battle, has been interpreted as a referendum on former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.

In a closely watched race, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford triumphed over conservative contender Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general and current circuit court judge in Waukesha County. Schimel, notably endorsed by Trump, also saw Musk pour millions into opposing Crawford’s campaign. It seems money can’t buy everything, even with Musk’s deep pockets.

The contest drew a deluge of outside funding from both Democrat- and Republican-aligned groups, making it the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history. This financial arms race transformed the campaign into more than just a state issue, but a national flashpoint for ideological battles.

Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin declared Crawford’s win a triumph for grassroots resilience, stating, "Wisconsinites proved we will not be bought — not by the richest or most powerful people in the world or anyone else." His words were a direct jab at Musk, who had controversially handed out $1 million checks at a rally in Green Bay to voters who had signed a petition against "activist judges." Legal challenges ensued, but the state Supreme Court declined to intervene.

Democrats wasted no time framing the result as a rejection of Trump, Musk, and the Republican agenda. Senator Tammy Baldwin praised Crawford as a "common sense judge" who embodies Wisconsin values, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared, "Anyone who counted Democrats out was dead wrong." Schumer didn’t mince words in pointing fingers at Musk and Trump, saying, "Our democracy is not for sale."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed the sentiment, calling the election a public rebuke of both Trump and Musk. "Back up off the American people," he wrote, summing up the defiant mood of the evening.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also chimed in, celebrating Crawford’s win as a victory not just for Wisconsin but for the entire country. With issues like congressional redistricting, voting rights, labor laws, and abortion likely to come before Wisconsin’s high court, Crawford’s victory carries implications far beyond state lines.

In a rallying cry to Democrats across the nation, Senator Amy Klobuchar declared, "The voters spoke loud and clear: Wisconsin is not for sale." And indeed, last night’s election suggests that even in the face of immense financial influence, voters in battleground states like Wisconsin are unwilling to let their voices be drowned out.