WASHINGTON — In a closely watched election, Judge Susan Crawford has secured a crucial seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Crawford, a Dane County Judge, achieved victory by building substantial leads in the state’s most populated and Democratic areas, which helped her overcome the advantage held by rival Judge Brad Schimel in more conservative regions. As a result of this election, the liberal-leaning justices will retain their 4-3 majority on the court.
The decision to call the race for Crawford was made once it became clear that Schimel could not close the gap. The announcement came at 10:16 p.m. EDT on Tuesday when about two-thirds of the total vote was counted. Analysis showed that most of the uncounted votes, particularly from Milwaukee, were likely to favor Crawford, creating no viable path for Schimel to overtake her.
Although the Wisconsin Supreme Court positions are technically nonpartisan, Crawford received backing from prominent Democratic figures both within the state and nationally. Schimel, on the other hand, was supported by Republican circles, receiving endorsements from former President Donald Trump and financial contributions from Elon Musk and associated political groups.
The retirement of a liberal justice earlier this year presented conservatives with an opportunity to shift the court’s balance before key cases concerning issues like abortion, labor unions, and voting rights were set to be addressed. This election also served as a bellwether for Wisconsin’s current political landscape following the victories and slim margins experienced in recent presidential contests.
Crawford’s performance exceeded expectations, even outpacing President Joe Biden’s 2020 win over Trump in several areas, particularly in Milwaukee and Dane counties. In contrast, Schimel fell short in performance compared to Trump, even in Republican strongholds like the WOW counties—Washington, Ozaukee, and Waukesha—which traditionally bolster Republican numbers in state elections.
The final results saw Crawford gaining more than three-quarters of the vote from the most Democratic-friendly locales, notably surpassing Schimel’s strength in Republican-dominated regions. By Wednesday morning, trends showed Crawford improving on Vice President Kamala Harris’ margins across all 72 Wisconsin counties. Notably, in both Milwaukee and Dane counties, her victory margin was significantly higher than Harris’ during the presidential race.
A significant result came from Brown County, known for its Republican tendency, where Crawford overcame an early deficit to lead Schimel by over 3 percentage points with most votes counted. This mirrors past outcomes like the 2023 Supreme Court race where Democrat-supported candidates won against their conservative counterparts.