President Donald Trump suffered a political setback Tuesday as Wisconsin voters elected a liberal judge to the state’s Supreme Court, despite his top ally, Elon Musk, pouring millions into the race to sway the outcome.
Two months into his second term, Trump celebrated Republican victories in a pair of House races in Florida but faced a significant loss in Wisconsin, where his push to install a conservative justice on the state’s high court failed.
Liberal judge Susan Crawford defeated Trump-backed Brad Schimel, according to U.S. media projections. Trump appeared to downplay the loss, instead highlighting a separate Wisconsin ballot measure requiring voter identification.
"Voter I.D. just approved in Wisconsin election, this is a big win for Republicans, maybe the biggest win of the night," Trump posted on Truth Social late Tuesday. Musk, who has played a central role in Trump’s sweeping efforts to restructure the U.S. government, traveled to Wisconsin to rally support for Schimel.
"It’s like one of those strange situations where a seemingly small election would determine the fate of Western civilization," Musk said Tuesday during a discussion on his social media platform X.
Musk reprised a controversial tactic used during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, offering financial incentives to those who signed a petition opposing so-called “activist judges.”
Despite spending millions on the race, he did not directly address Schimel’s defeat, instead celebrating the passage of Wisconsin’s voter ID initiative with a simple "Yeah!" on X.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, a leading progressive voice, condemned Musk’s involvement, writing on X that voters "have the power to reject Musk and the oligarchy buying our elections."
Beyond being a test of Trump’s political influence, the Wisconsin Supreme Court race will determine the ideological balance of the court, which rules on key issues such as voting district boundaries.
Meanwhile, in Florida, Trump-backed candidates secured victories in two special congressional elections. Republican Randy Fine won Florida’s 6th District, filling the vacancy left by Trump’s former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, while Republican Jimmy Patronis claimed Florida’s 1st District, previously held by former Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz. "Congratulations Randy, a great win against a massive cash avalanche," Trump posted on social media.
Trump took credit for both victories, declaring that "the Trump endorsement, as always, proved far greater than the Democrats’ forces of evil."
Democrats, still reeling from their November defeat in the presidential and congressional elections, had hoped for a stronger showing in Florida and a victory in Wisconsin to signal a political resurgence.
Though they suffered double-digit losses in the Florida races, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries framed the results as a warning sign for Republicans, telling Microsoft and the National Broadcasting Corporation (MSNBC) that the closer margins “should have my Republican colleagues quaking in their boots.”
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race set a new record for campaign spending, driven largely by Musk’s financial contributions.
Musk, who spent an estimated $277 million on Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, handed out $1 million checks to two voters and $100 to others who signed his petition against judicial activism.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, Schimel and his backers, including Musk’s America PAC, spent more than $53.3 million on the race, with Musk alone contributing $12.2 million. Crawford and her supporters spent an estimated $45.1 million.
The spending made the race the most expensive judicial contest in U.S. history. Despite drawing enthusiastic crowds at a rally in Green Bay, Musk’s aggressive role in the election sparked backlash.
At a pro-Crawford event, retired engineer Rob Patterson, 65, held a sign depicting Musk giving a straight-armed salute, reading: "Our Supreme Court is not for sale."
