“Record-breaking Spending in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Fueled by Powerhouse Billionaires”
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court race, won by the Democratic-backed candidate, saw total spending soar to over $100 million thanks to contributions from billionaires like Elon Musk and George Soros, according to a report by the Brennan Center for Law released on Friday. This amount represents the highest sum ever spent on a U.S. court race, doubling the previous record set in 2023 during another Wisconsin Supreme Court election. These contests, both in the battleground state, revolved around the ideological control of the court.
For context, the $100 million spent in this race is equivalent to the combined spending on 68 supreme court elections in 26 states during 2021 and 2022, as reported by the Brennan Center. Susan Crawford, a Dane County Circuit Judge, emerged victorious over Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel in the election held on Tuesday. Schimel, who was endorsed by Musk and former President Donald Trump, faced defeat despite having a spending advantage of nearly $8 million.
Musk personally contributed at least $3 million to the race, with additional funding from groups he supports totaling nearly $19 million, as per the Brennan Center. Democratic billionaires Soros and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also played a role by contributing a combined $3.5 million to aid Crawford’s campaign. Notably, Musk’s America PAC distributed $1 million checks to three Wisconsin voters who opposed “activist” judges, with Musk personally delivering two of the checks.
Several other billionaires on both sides also contributed to the unprecedented spending in the race, which also saw record-breaking turnout in a Wisconsin court election without a presidential primary on the ballot. Crawford secured a 10-point victory, maintaining a 4-3 liberal majority on the state’s highest court, a composition that has been in place since 2023. This majority will face significant cases in the near future, such as those related to abortion rights, union powers, voting regulations, and congressional redistricting.
The escalation in interest and spending in judicial races, previously more low-cost and subdued affairs, has been a notable trend in recent years. According to Douglas Keith, senior counsel in the judiciary program at the Brennan Center, state supreme court races are increasingly recognized as critical policy battlegrounds, particularly on contentious issues like abortion rights. The Wisconsin race in 2023 exceeded all expectations, reaching spending levels typically seen in a gubernatorial race.
In 2022, the Wisconsin governor’s race, which was won by Democratic Governor Tony Evers, set a new state record with spending totaling $164 million.
