Despite receiving massive financial backing and a stunning endorsement, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s candidate lost the crucial Wisconsin Supreme Court race to a liberal opponent.
President Trump highlighted the contest’s high stakes, saying, “Wisconsin’s a big state politically, and the Supreme Court has a lot to do with elections in Wisconsin. Winning Wisconsin’s a big deal, so therefore the Supreme Court choice… it’s a big race.”
The election made history as the most expensive judicial race in American history and maintains a progressive majority that threatens conservative priorities in the key battleground state.
Liberal-backed Susan Crawford’s victory represents a significant setback for conservative efforts to reshape Wisconsin’s legal landscape.
Over $100 million was spent to influence the outcome of the Wisconsin Supreme Court contest.
Crawford defeated former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel by roughly 10 percentage points.
She did so even though Schimel received high-profile endorsements and financial backing from some of the nation’s most powerful conservative figures.
Conservatives now fear Crawford’s victory locks in a 4-3 liberal majority for years to come.
This court’s composition will likely determine critical rulings on abortion rights, election laws, union power, and legislative redistricting.
It will also directly impact the conservative agenda that President Trump started implementing from day one of his second term.
Musk poured millions into defeating Crawford, using his vast wealth to fund attack ads and mobilize conservative voters.
He took to his X (formerly Twitter) social network to write, “The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary.”
The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 2, 2025
The tech mogul later acknowledged his expectations of defeat, stating, “I expected to lose, but there is value to losing a piece for a positional gain.”
The consequences of this liberal judicial takeover remain concerning for conservatives.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has already demonstrated its willingness to overturn Republican-drawn legislative maps.
It may continue to issue rulings that undermine Second Amendment rights and election integrity measures, including the newly passed voter ID constitutional amendment.
Crawford’s campaign received substantial backing from national Democrat powerbrokers, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and billionaire George Soros.
Their support has raised questions about out-of-state influence on Wisconsin’s judicial selection.
This left-wing funding network worked to counter conservative efforts to protect constitutional principles in the state.
The record-breaking turnout reportedly led to ballot shortages in the Democrat stronghold of Milwaukee.
This comes as Democrats celebrated Crawford’s pledge to protect their party’s agenda in the courts rather than uphold strict constitutional interpretations.
Schimel, a respected former Attorney General who ran on a platform of law and order, demonstrated dignity in defeat by stating: “No, no, no, no, you’ve got to accept the results.”
With this victory, liberals have secured control of Wisconsin’s highest court for at least the next three years.
This liberal majority will likely continue to undermine President Trump’s agenda and create judicial roadblocks in this crucial swing state.
