Pam Culviner, of Madison, waves to traffic while wearing political signage on the day of the Wisconsin Supreme Court election in Madison, Wisconsin, U.S., April 1, 2025. REUTERS/Vincent Alban
Progressive judge Susan Crawford has been projected the winner in Wisconsin's much-anticipated State Supreme Court race, defeating the Elon Musk-backed conservative Brad Schimel in what shaped up to be one of the biggest political races of the year.
Polls closed at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. NBC called the race around 10 p.m. Eastern Time. CNN called the race about eight minutes later.
Crawford's election will likely tip how the high court rules on issues like abortion access and congressional redistricting, attracting national attention and high-level endorsements, including from Musk and President Donald Trump.
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The intense interest fueled the state race to become the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, according to media reports. Groups affiliated with Musk have pumped more than $21 million into Schimel’s campaign as part of his effort to elect a far-right judge.
His America PAC and other affiliated groups have funded extensive canvassing efforts and offered money to potential voters, such as $100 for signing petitions against "activist judges" and $1 million awards to some supporters.
Spending has topped $90 million in the race, according to CNN.