Susan Crawford, the winner of a key race to fill a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, was backed by national Democrats and made opposition to Elon Musk a centerpiece of her campaign.

Judge Susan Crawford won a hotly contested Wisconsin Supreme Court election Tuesday, scoring a crucial victory for Democrats in what became the most expensive court race in U.S. history. Why it matters: Crawford's decisive win preserves the state high court's liberal majority and sends a powerful rebuke to President Trump and the MAGA movement ahead of the 2026 midterms.

President Donald Trump has yet to publicly weigh in on Tuesday night’s Wisconsin Supreme Court election results after calling eventual winner Susan Crawford a “liberal lunatic.” Trump posted up a storm on his Truth Social media platform after Republicans were victorious Tuesday night in two U.S. House special elections in Florida.

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford addresses a crowd Saturday, March 29, 2025 at a campaign stop at a field office for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Andy Manis) MADISON,

State analyst Mike Wagner said Susan Crawford being elected to Wisconsin's state Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 1), maintaining the court's 4-3 liberal majority, was widely seen as an early referendum on Donald Trump's presidency.

Following the most expensive judicial election in US history, Susan Crawford defeated her conservative rival Brad Schimel. Crawford's victory keeps intact the 4-3 liberal control of Wisconsin's highest court.

Newly elected Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Susan Crawford, who defeated an opponent endorsed by President Donald Trump, has ties to Iowa.

Susan Crawford has won an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, securing the court’s liberal wing another two years in the majority.

On Tuesday, conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel will square off against liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford to determine the ideological direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The race will likely determine how the high court rules on issues like abortion access and union rights in the coming months.