The court could face cases on abortion, congressional maps and labor unions. With Tesla suing the state, Elon Musk is backing the conservative candidate who’s received President Trump’s endorsement.
Many of the country’s most contested issues and hottest partisan politics are playing out in a race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The election is Tuesday.
At the state level, abortion rights, voting rights and the powers of public employee unions could all be in the balance in future court rulings.
And impacting the national scene, the court could determine whether the state redraws its congressional districts along lines that end up narrowing or ending the majority that Republicans hold in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Money is pouring in from around the country, with millions of dollars in support of the conservative candidate coming from billionaire Elon Musk, who visited the state Sunday night for a rally donning a cheesehead hat. He handed out $1 million to two people after a legal back-and-forth on whether the money amounted to bribing voters. The liberal candidate has received millions in support from billionaire George Soros, Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, a Wisconsin philanthropist and others.
Spending on both sides is expected to reach $100 million, which is more than all but a few U.S. Senate races each cost last year. It’s the most expensive state judge race ever, says The Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan think tank and democracy advocacy group.
Wisconsin’s a swing state where President Trump narrowly defeated Kamala Harris in 2024. There’s a Democratic governor, Tony Evers, and a Republican-controlled legislature. Tuesday’s vote could be the first measure of Trump’s popularity and Democrats’ energy after the election five months ago. It could also be a referendum on Trump’s close adviser, Musk.Two county judges face off for a seat opening on the court
Supreme Court races are non-partisan in Wisconsin, so there won’t be a « D » or an « R » next to the justices’ names on the ballot, but they are generally described as either liberal or conservative.
