Democrats' Choice Projected To Win WI Supreme Court Seat

Update 10 p.m.: With 77 percent of votes counted, Democratic-backed Judge Susan Crawford was projected Tuesday night to win Wisconsin’s closely watched state Supreme Court race, defeating Republican-supported Brad Schimel.

As of 10 p.m., Crawford held a lead of nearly 180,000 votes, with more than 1.85 million ballots counted statewide. She had 54.9 percent of the vote, compared to Schimel’s 45.1 percent.

"Thank you, Wisconsin!" Crawford wrote on X.

Update 9:16 p.m.: — Democratic-backed Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford is projected by NBC and others to decisively defeat Republican-supported former state Attorney General Brad Schimel in Tuesday’s pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race.

Democrats and progressive activists nationwide had framed the contest as a referendum on President Trump’s second-term agenda and Elon Musk’s controversial push to remake the federal government and implement sweeping new tariffs.

Republicans, meanwhile, were hoping to flip the court and reclaim a conservative majority.

But with Crawford’s projected victory, the court’s narrow 4-3 liberal majority—secured after Justice Janet Protasiewicz’s 2023 win—appears poised to remain intact.

Looking ahead, the next two Supreme Court seats up for election in 2026 and 2027 are currently held by conservatives.

The next chance for Republicans to retake control of the court won’t come until 2028, and only if they can win both of those upcoming races, political analyst Craig Gilbert noted.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin voters also approved a constitutional amendment to enshrine the state’s voter ID law, handing a victory to conservatives who have long championed the measure.

Key Issues

Just months after enduring a flood of political ads during the 2024 presidential election, Wisconsin voters have once again been bombarded with attack ads — this time in the high-stakes state Supreme Court race.

The content has focused on pivotal issues like abortion rights, redistricting, and labor laws, with added controversy over billionaire Musk’s financial support for the conservative candidate. And both candidates claim they will be tough on crime.

While emotions are running high nationwide, with both sides eager to claim a show of strength, the real impact of this race lies in its potential to reshape Wisconsin’s legal and political landscape for years to come.

Surge In Outside Spending

Tuesday's election has officially become the most expensive judicial race in American history, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. A week before the election, campaigns and outside spenders had already spent more than $73 million on the race.

Here’s a breakdown of the major independent spending in the race, according to the Brennan Center:

Pro-Republican candidate spending: $32.1 million

• America PAC and Building America’s Future (reportedly Elon Musk–funded): $14.3M
• Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce: $4.3 million
• Fair Courts America (Richard Uihlein–linked): $4 million
• Americans for Prosperity (Koch-affiliated): $3.2 million
• Republican State Leadership Committee: $1.8 million

Pro Democratic candidate spending: $12.9 million

• A Better Wisconsin Together (Lynde Uihlein–backed): $6.2 million
• ACLU Voter Education Fund: $1 million
• George Soros (via state Democratic party): $1 million

The surge in spending can be traced to the 2010 Citizens United decision and other rulings that opened the door to unlimited political contributions.