Trump faces Wisconsin setback as Liberals take Supreme Court seat

• Susan Crawford win key Supreme Court seat from Wisconsin.
• Her opponent Brad Schimel enjoyed support from Elon Musk.
• Trump pushed for conservative judge calling him "patriot".

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump faced a political setback in Wisconsin as liberal judge Susan Crawford won a key Supreme Court seat, despite strong backing and financial support from billionaire Elon Musk for her conservative opponent.

Two months into his barnstorming return to the White House, Trump celebrated victory in a pair of House races in Florida, which remained in Republican hands.

But in the first real electoral test of his polarising presidency, his all-out effort to lodge a new Republican on the Wisconsin Supreme Court fell flat, as liberal judge Susan Crawford came out ahead of the Trump-backed Brad Schimel, according to US media.

Trump had earlier pushed for the conservative judge running for the spot on Wisconsin’s top court, saying on social media that Schimel was a "Patriot" while Crawford was a "Radical Left Liberal."

Echoing his usual extreme rhetoric, Trump claimed Crawford has a "History of letting child molesters and rapists off" and that a win by her would be a "DISASTER."

'Fate of civilisation'

Musk, who has spearheaded Trump’s radical attempts to gut much of the US government in a right-wing cost-cutting drive, went himself to Wisconsin to drum up support for Schimel.

"It’s like one of those strange situations where a seemingly small election would determine the fate of Western civilisation here," Musk said in a discussion on his social media platform X on Tuesday.

The highlight of his weekend visit to the upper Midwestern state reprised a tactic seen during his efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Kamala Harris in November—handing out money to anyone who signed a petition against so-called "activist judges."

Senator Bernie Sanders, a major force on the left of the Democratic Party, told supporters on X they had "the power to REJECT Musk and the oligarchy buying our elections."

Beyond testing the public mood, the Wisconsin result will decide whether the state’s Supreme Court—which rules on matters such as voting district boundaries—tilts majority left or right.

In Florida, two seats in the US House of Representatives were up for grabs to fill vacancies in Republican strongholds, left by Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and failed nominee for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz.

On Tuesday evening, media called the race for Florida’s sixth district in favour of Republican Randy Fine, with Trump tweeting: "Congratulations Randy, a great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE."

Shortly after, media outlets also called the special election in Florida’s first district for Trump-backed Republican Jimmy Patronis.

Trump took credit for his party’s victory in both deep red districts, posting on social media that "the Trump endorsement, as always, proved far greater than the Democrats’ forces of evil."

Democrats have been adrift since losing the presidency to Trump and both chambers of Congress in November, and had hoped that a decent showing in Florida and a win in Wisconsin could be the spark.

In Florida, they were defeated by double-digit percentage margins in both special elections.

Big stakes, bigger money

Illustrating the stakes of the contest in Wisconsin, the race has set a spending record—much of that in advertising and attempts, particularly by Musk, to drive turnout.

Musk, who spent roughly $277 million on Trump’s 2024 election campaign, presented cheques of $1 million to two voters and $100 each to other voters who signed his petition.

According to the Brennan Centre for Justice, more than $53.3 million has been spent by Schimel and his backers, including $12.2 million from Musk’s America PAC.

Crawford’s campaign and those backing her have spent an estimated $45.1 million.

The spending has made the Wisconsin race the most expensive in US judicial history, the centre said.

Billionaire Musk’s Green Bay rally on the weekend had an enthusiastic crowd, but the South African-born oligarch’s role in Wisconsin elections has provoked as much resistance as support.

At a pro-Crawford rally, 65-year-old retired electrical engineer Rob Patterson held up a sign showing Musk giving a straight-armed salute.

"Our Supreme Court is not for sale," the sign read.