Wisconsin still faces five straight years of Supreme Court elections. Here's what Susan Crawford's win means for liberal vs. conservative control.

Susan Crawford, a liberal judge, defeated Republican-backed Brad Schimel on April 1 in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race, which broke spending records.

Liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford handily defeated conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel Tuesday night for a seat in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Crawford’s victory retains the liberal majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court for the next three years.

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,

Elon Musk was a prominent fundraiser in the campaign, and was the subject of attack ads aired by Crawford's supporters.

The Associated Press declared that Dane County Judge Susan Crawford won a pivotal seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court based on the large leads she built in the state’s population centers and Democratic strongholds.

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.

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

Democratic-backed candidate Susan Crawford has won Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race, maintaining the liberal majority on the court in a key battleground state less than three months into President Donald Trump’s second term.