A Cold Wind Blew in Wisconsin
A Warning in the Margins of a Quiet Election
On Tuesday night, Republicans got a clear message from Wisconsin — and it wasn’t the one they wanted.
In a statewide race for the state Supreme Court, Democrat Susan Crawford defeated Republican Brad Schimel by a decisive 10-point margin: 55% to 45%. Over 2.3 million votes were cast — a turnout more in line with a presidential election than a sleepy spring ballot.
The results weren’t just surprising. They cut against the trend we saw five months ago, when Donald Trump carried the state narrowly over Kamala Harris. This time, it wasn’t close. Crawford didn’t just win liberal Dane and Milwaukee counties — she made gains in red and rural areas, while holding ground in the suburbs.