Democratic-aligned Susan Crawford handily defeated GOP-aligned Brad Schimel for the open seat on Wisconsin's State Supreme Court on Tuesday. The race, marred in its final stages by a vote-buying campaign by billionaire Elon Musk, had already become the most expensive judicial race of all time. In the event, she won by more than 10 percent: 55.03% to 44.97%, with less than one percent of votes left to count Wednesday.
The winner goes on to serve a 10-year term. Although the race was officially nonpartisan, clear ideological differences separated Crawford and Schimel — including on labor rights, abortion access and President Donald Trump's Jan. 6 pardons, among others — as well as the groups that backed them. A slew of prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, backed Crawford; Republicans by and large endorsed Schimel, including Trump.
And, yes, that may be a journalistic "despite" in the headline: so obnoxious were Musk's vote-buying shenanigans that they did the candidate in his pocket no favors. In fact, it appears to have hurt him: Schimel trailed other Republicans on the ticket by 5 points.
Previously:
• Musk ordered to appear in court to explain why he's giving money to voters
• Illinois's 'anti-corruption' Republican governor handed out $300,000 in cash at a campaign rally
• Philadelphia DA sues Musk over million-dollar voter incentive scheme
