The next chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court will come from the liberal majority of justices, as the court announced that the conservative who currently holds the mostly honorary position will be replaced.

Record turnout and a backlash against Trump and Elon Musk, who had largely hijacked the campaign, played a role.

Susan Crawford, a liberal running with the backing of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, won a seat on the state’s Supreme Court on Tuesday night, fending off millions of dollars in spending from right-wing billionaire Elon Musk.

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,

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.

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

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

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

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.