Money can’t get you everything, it turns out.
Judge Susan Crawford emerged victorious this week in the race to occupy an open spot on the Wisconsin Supreme Court – despite the best efforts of Elon Musk, tech billionaire and unelected head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, Musk flew out to Wisconsin and – this is not hyperbole – doled out millions of dollars to voters, ultimately spending over $20 million to try to create a victory for Crawford’s conservative competitor, Brad Schimel. “I think this will be important for the future of civilization,” he said at the Sunday campaign event where he handed out portions of his vast wealth. “It’s that significant.”
President Donald Trump weighed in on the race as well, posting on Truth Social ahead of the April 1 Election Day that Crawford was a “handpicked voice of the Leftists who are out to destroy your State, and our Country” while endorsing Schimel for the role.
But their gambit didn’t work – in fact, Crawford bested Schimel by 10 points.
“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,” Crawford, 60, said to her supporters when news of her win to the 10-year appointment was confirmed. “And we won.”
It’s a critical win, too – Wisconsin is a battleground state, and Crawford’s placement in its highest court maintains a narrow 4-to-3 left-leaning majority.
She brings decades of judicial experience to the job, following a respectable career as a private-practice attorney, prosecutor and, most recently, a Circuit Court judge. She also previously served with the state’s Department of Corrections and Department of Natural Resources, as well as being chief legal counsel to former Gov. Jim Doyle. Crawford earned her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1994.
During her years in various positions in various courts, Crawford defended teachers unions, abortion access and voters’ rights, among championing other progressive causes. Now, she will continue that work on behalf of the entire Badger State.
“Today, Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy, our fair elections and our Supreme Court,” she said in her victory speech. “Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price. Our courts are not for sale.”
