Madison, Wisconsin (AP) – Susan Crawford Wisconsin Supreme Court election victory Beyond conservative candidates President Donald Trump supported And the billionaire Elon Musk It has for at least three years solidified a liberal majority in the state’s top courts, causing a devastating blow to Republicans who fear they will pave the way for a ruling that overturns or blocks the agenda of swinging GOPs.
Trump, Musk and other Republican leaders fear Crawford’s victory It means that the court ruled 4-3 by the liberals Redraw Wisconsin Legislature boundaries A way that will help Democrats win at least two seats and regain their majority.
Crawford supporters, including Democrat minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, said Crawford’s election was important and that she and other liberal justice could order Wisconsin’s Congressional boundaries to be redrawn.
Last year, court refused to take it up A democratic challenge to the state’s legislative boundaries. The decision sparked criticism from Rep. Mark Pokan, one of two House Democrats in Wisconsin, who said he hopes a new lawsuit will be filed soon on Wednesday.
“If you have two of the eight seats in a purple 80-50 condition, then there’s clearly been a gerrymandering.” Pokan said.
Abortions, voting rules and union cases await the court
What you’re waiting on the wing is if you can solidify Abortion rights Wisconsin has reverted former Republican Governor Scott Walker. Signature Act It stripped the teacher and most other civil servants of collective negotiation rights.
Before the election, Walker said he was worried that he was looking for ways to target the state’s “right of labor” laws signed by the court and reduce the programme that allowed students to attend private schools with taxpayer-funded vouchers.
Jeff Mandel, a liberal law advisor to Madison Law Firm, said he doesn’t think the strategy would “revive all the fights of the past.”
“Sometimes, when I hear of rhetoric, it seems to me that I have the fear and belief that there is an entire file of this pre-built lawsuit on any issue I have won in my last years,” he said. “That’s not true, at least for me.”
The billionaires spent a lot of money in the race
Crawford I won comfortably In a race where he saw about $100 million spent, including the above $21 million from mask And the group he controls. The Democratic billionaire came behind Crawford, with George Soros giving $2 million and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pretzker threw $1.5 million.
Those supporting Schimel spent $8 million more than Crawford’s supporters, based on the Brennan Center for Justice tally.
All caution has resulted in record turnout of more than 50% of the voting age population, breaking about 10 points before the Wisconsin Supreme Court election in 2023.
Crawford beat Simel by 10 points based on an unofficial result, just under the 11-point victory by the liberal candidate in the 2023 race. The election messed up the control of the court from the conservatives who held it for 15 years.
The court has already handed out the Democratic victory
For the past two years, courts have served as a check on Republican-controlled Congress in Wisconsin.
The court ordered a new legislative map And Democrats hope to win a seat in the November election and take control of at least one legislator in 2026.
The court also reversed a previous conservative court ruling to ban absentee ballot dropboxes.
Liberal victory will impact the governor’s race in 2026
Simel’s loss was worried about what it would mean in 2026 when Democrat government Tony Evers stood up for reelection through the third term.
And at the Free Court, which potentially blocks the Republican governor’s agenda, Walker asked, “Who would want to run for governor?”
Democrats say Crawford’s victory shows Republicans need to ease.
“The Wisconsinians aren’t actually taking part in some sort of large agenda that Trump and Musk sell,” said Patrick Guarash, the top advisor for the Crawford campaign, who is also involved in the governor’s race. “Republicans need to go back to the center.”
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