Liberal judge Susan Crawford called out billionaire Elon Musk in her victory speech after winning a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, basking in successfully beating her Republican opponent Brad Schimel and ensuring that the nonpartisan court’s narrow 4-3 liberal majority remains intact despite Musk's efforts to sway the race.
Musk fueled the high-stakes race, having poured more than $20 million into supporting Schimel, according to state campaign records. That includes $3 million to the state Republican Party—$2 million of which was donated just last week. Due to state election laws, large contributions must be funneled through political parties before reaching candidates.
Beyond direct donations, Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, spent $11.5 million on digital ads, mailers, field operations, and voter outreach. Meanwhile, his political nonprofit, Building America’s Future, spent nearly $4.8 million on TV ads attacking Crawford.
Musk himself even awarded $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters who pledged to vote for Schimel.
The race was widely expected to set a new record for the most expensive state supreme court election in history. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, spending by candidates and outside groups surpassed $100 million, underscoring the high stakes of the contest.
That massive influx of money helped fuel a hard-fought and contentious campaign, driven in part by the race’s broader national implications. Viewed as an early test of voter sentiment, the election also provided insight into how a key swing state might react to the influence of Trump-aligned figures.
And Crawford made clear in her victory speech that she is well aware of these stakes—particularly after "taking on the richest man in the world":
"As a little girl growing up in Chippewa Falls I never could have imagined that I'd be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin, and we won!"
The crowd's enthusiasm was palpable as thrilled supporters cheered loudly.
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Crawford, pointing to her long career in law—both in front of and behind the bench—also affirmed her commitment to Wisconsin voters:
"I spent my whole career fighting for Wisconsin as a prosecutor, a lawyer, a judge and now a soon-to-be justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Standing up for our fundamental rights and freedoms, protecting Wisconsin families and communities."
"My promise to Wisconsin is clear. I will be a fair, common sense and impartial justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court."
You can watch her full speech below.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
Many loved her remarks and criticized Musk in response.
Meanwhile, Schimel addressed his supporters, confirming that he had conceded the race. When some in the crowd reacted with objections—shouting “no!” or claiming that Democrats had cheated—he firmly responded that his supporters have "gotta accept the results.”
Schimel's concession alone is a major blow to Musk, an election conspiracy theorist who earlier said "whichever party controls the House to a significant degree controls the country, which then steers the course of Western civilization." He claimed the race "is one of those things that may not seem that it’s going to affect the entire destiny of humanity, but I think it will.”
Chief among Musk's concerns is the key role that the court could play in congressional redistricting. Crawford, who will be sworn in on August 1, could end up hearing one or more cases that impact how the 2028 presidential election will be run in the swing state.
