MADISON – The most expensive judicial race in the country's history came to its full conclusion Aug. 1 with the swearing-in of Susan Crawford as a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.
With the start of Crawford's 10-year term, liberals maintain the 4-3 majority on the court that it gained in 2023. Crawford, 60, defeated conservative Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel in the April 1 election.
"From the beginning, this court has stepped up in the moments that matter most. It has taken seriously its duty to interpret our Constitution and protect the rule of law, even when the issues were politically charged, deeply divisive or hard to untangle," Crawford told the crowd in the Capitol Rotunda. "That's always been the job, and it still is today... I'm proud to take my seat on this court."
The former Dane County Circuit Court judge succeeds liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who retired after three decades on the high court.
Crawford's victory cemented liberal control of the seven-member body until at least 2028. Liberal candidates have won four of Wisconsin's last five Supreme Court elections, each by double digits.
Like many other races in Wisconsin, abortion rights remained a crucial flash point, with candidates not shying away from making their stances on the issue known.
While Crawford had represented Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in the past, she said during her campaign that she would be a "fair and impartial" justice and make decisions based on the evidence presented.
Crawford said that the questions that come before the Wisconsin Supreme Court "shape and protect our democracy," noting that it is not lost on her that the court's decisions impact the rights of everyone who calls Wisconsin home.
"Our laws and Constitution are full of big, abstract promises. Equal protection, due process and individual liberties — those promises are empty words until we judges interpret, apply and enforce them in real cases involving real people," Crawford said.
Crawford's win came two years after liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz flipped the court to a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years in 2023. Protasiewicz defeated Daniel Kelly, a conservative former justice, by 11 points.
While Wisconsin Supreme Court races are officially nonpartisan, the race has become increasingly polarized in recent years as the two major political parties continue to back their preferred candidate.
Spending in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race topped $100 million, doubling the record-breaking spending seen in 2023.
The race saw heavy spending by Elon Musk, the billionaire and close adviser to President Donald Trump — and a seven-figure counter-initiative by Democratic Party leaders dubbed "The People v Elon Musk."
Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley and Chief Justice Annette Ziegler are up for reelection in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Bradley has not yet announced if she will run again and did not raise any campaign funds during the most recent campaign finance reporting period. Challenger liberal state Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor, however, raised more than $583,000 since she launched her campaign, outpacing Crawford's $460,000 haul in the same timeframe during the 2025 Supreme Court race.
Anna Kleiber can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Susan Crawford sworn in as Wisconsin Supreme Court justice
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