Wisconsin voters cast ballots under national spotlight to decide control of the state Supreme Court

[In It to Win It]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin voters began casting ballots Tuesday in a state Supreme Court election that has become a proxy for the nation’s political battles while attracting a massive amount of spending, led by groups affiliated with Elon Musk and other billionaires.

Voters at the polls on the first day of early voting said they were motivated by the role the court will play in issues such as abortion and immigration. Some also mentioned concerns about how national money and influence could sway the outcome of a race that will determine whether the court remains under liberal control or flips to a conservative majority.

Republican-backed Brad Schimel and Democratic-supported Susan Crawford are running in the April 1 election for an open seat on a court that faces cases on abortion, public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. Who controls the court also could factor into how it might rule on any future voting challenge in the perennial presidential battleground state — raising the stakes for national Republicans and Democrats.

Retired electrician Maggie Freespirit, 58, was among the first to vote at a polling site in downtown Madison, the heavily Democratic state capital. She said she voted for Crawford because she knows the Democratic-backed candidate will support abortion rights. But she is nervous about Crawford’s chances.

https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-early-voting-musk-trump-da125bcc09bc2e1362a6fc0ca251b4da

[Cha]

1. Best of Good Luck to Susan Crawford! TY

[cliffside]

2. Ali Velshi covering this now - "Why Wisconsin's Supreme Court race might be the most important of 2025 ...

Elon Musk is doing more than rooting from the sidelines."

Opinion
Karen Tumulty

Gift link ...

https://wapo.st/3XZWRUC

"MILWAUKEE — You might have thought Elon Musk had plenty to keep him busy in Washington, what with the havoc he is wreaking throughout the federal government. But three days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Musk turned his attention to a nominally nonpartisan statewide contest that is taking place in Wisconsin.

“Very important to vote Republican for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent voting fraud!” he posted on his social media platform X.
Until recently, in years where there was no presidential primary, Wisconsin’s springtime elections were usually sleepy exercises. Voter turnout has often been lower than 30 percent.

But the April 1 state Supreme Court race between two candidates still largely unknown to Badger State voters might well be the nation’s most significant election this year. It could flip control of the seven-justice court from liberal to conservative — back to what it had been for two decades before the 2023 election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz, whose resounding victory was driven by anger after the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

The race to fill a single open court seat with a 10-year term has ramifications not only for abortion rights, where the two contenders in the past expressed vastly different views, but also for how elections are conducted in what was last year’s most closely contested presidential swing state. It also could determine whether two congressional districts will be redrawn and put in easier reach of Democrats, which could affect control of the U.S. House..."

[cliffside]

3. Trump Jr. casts Wisconsin Supreme Court race as key to advancing Trump's agenda

"Donald Trump Jr. told Republicans at a rally before early voting begins in Wisconsin’s high-stakes Supreme Court race that a win is imperative to maintain GOP momentum ahead of the 2026 midterms and the next presidential election"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/17/wisconsin-supreme-court-trump-musk/3748c59e-0395-11f0-941f-6ca83a0bd35b_story.html

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — Donald Trump Jr. told Republicans at a Monday rally that a win in Wisconsin’s high-stakes Supreme Court race is imperative to protect his father’s agenda and maintain GOP momentum ahead of the 2026 midterms and the next presidential election.

President Donald Trump’s oldest son appeared with right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk at the event organized by Turning Point USA, a conservative youth group Kirk founded. Trump Jr. urged supporters of his father to vote in the lower-turnout Supreme Court election in two weeks.
“They can’t just show up when he happens to be on the top of that ticket,” Trump Jr. said of his father. “You have to engage because it’s not just about now, it’s about that future. This presidency can be put to a halt with this vote.”

... The Republican-backed court candidate, Brad Schimel, was there along with a bevy of other Wisconsin GOP heavy hitters including former Gov. Scott Walker, the state party chairman, national committee members, state lawmakers, a member of the state elections commission and others..."

[elocs]

4. Just 2 years ago here the Liberal candidate beat the conservative by 200,000 votes, 11%.

This election is pivotal and will determine if control of the state supreme court remains Liberal or swings conservative. Its importance is crystal clear.
It's outcome will also indicate if a significant number of Trump voters here regret their choice of voting for him as will the margin of victory for Crawford compared to 2 years ago if she wins.
The vote from very Liberal Madison will show if Musk has managed to cheat, but we have the numbers to overwhelm any cheating.