What’s Wrong in Cheesehead Land?
$100 Million for ONE JUDGESHIP
Apr 2, 2025
What in the world happened in Wisconsin this week? The Republicans spent more than $50 million, turned out the largest number of voters in the history of Spring Elections and they still lost by 10 percentage points to a far left radical in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Crawford beats Schimel in nation’s most expensive court race – WisPolitics
A bit of background is needed. Judge Brad Schimel, the Republican (non-partisan in name only) candidate is a sitting Circuit Court Judge in Waukesha County (historically a deep red county) who was the Attorney General of Wisconsin just 6 years ago. A conservative, yes, but not a rabid fire-breathing conservative. On the other side was Judge Susan Crawford, the Democrat (non-partisan in name only) candidate is also a sitting Circuit Court Judge in Dane County (historically a deep blue county) who represented unions, ACLU causes and was openly endorsed at a rally by a cross-dressing transgender. She was a progressive liberal in its truest sense. (Bernie Sanders campaigned for her!)
Judge Crawford won the Supreme Court race by carrying all the Democrat areas by insurmountable margins, well above what Harris/Walz and Biden/Harris won by in those same areas. But consider this–Judge Schimel received more votes than former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and he still lost!
What happened is, as a practical matter, quite simple. The Democrats nationalized the race and made Elon Musk the bad guy. (Of course, abortion, abortion, abortion, as well.) Unlike Republicans, the Democrats follow no rules. They use every bit of power they can, including having the Wisconsin Attorney General bring litigation against Elon Musk directly, accusing him of criminal acts. Yep, lawfare is most certainly alive and well. The Democrats pay “volunteers” to protest at events and pay those volunteers to harvest ballots from every possible source. The treat courts like super-legislatures, which, unfortunately, they have sadly become in Wisconsin.
Mind you, the Republican get out the vote effort was exceptional for an off-year Spring election. The State Republican Party, Turning Point USA, the Musk organization and others were able to turn-out more votes in early and absentee voting than in virtually any other election except Trump 2024. So, the post-mortem must admit that even with more money than any other judicial race in the history of the country the Republicans still could not win. In fact, the margin of the loss is virtually identical to the two most recent losses.
What lessons must be learned?
First, we must continue to build an organization that gets out the early vote. Forget the past–election day is now just one of many days to vote.
Second, the Democrats will do anything, abuse any rules, force any issue, violate any law, use any lever of government to win. They know this is a war for the hearts and soul of a nation and they are willing to do what they must and then pick up the pieces later.
Third, on a lesser level, Elon Musk is a powerful tool for both Conservatives and Liberals. This is not much different than Trump, who is equally a great source of pride for Conservatives and a great motivator of hate for the Liberals. One must accept that risk in the environment we now face.
I do fear that with elections like this election in Wisconsin, establishment Republicans will try to reassert control. They will argue it’s time to tone it down, when, in fact, that is precisely the opposite of what must happen. There must be an active and forceful commitment to take this battle for the hearts and souls of the country to the next level. While Trump won an election, he has most certainly not won the war.
Wisconsin is siren call to every Conservative to redouble efforts and redouble a commitment to the values we hold dear. There will be loses, like Wisconsin, along the way. Accept that and move on, knowing that there will be casualties. Wars are hard, often long and never easy. The results in my home State this week are deeply disappointing, but we must get over it and move on to the next battle.
Retired Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge. President Trump’s attorney in 2020. Speaker, columnist, talk radio guest, father, grandfather and fisherman. Lawfare Triage | Where Deception Dies
I am sure that I am not smarter than Elon Musk but his intense personal involvement in the election gave the other side an extra weapon. “Some rich outsider is trying to take over our election” is a great weapon. Other outsiders provided Judge Susan Crawford with more money than Musk provided Judge Schimel. But their face was not on those dollars, just their names. Also Crawford was the incumbent and that is usually worth five to ten points. In Arkansas, our Republican leadership showed they did not understand that they have to learn how to communicate with their newly recruited majority. That smelly dump truck driver in the Walmart aisle who they wouldn’t dare speak to is getting his conservative education at the national level not the state level. The state party has to start working with its grassroots majority or electing judges will continue to be a problem. I am anticipating the legislature will pass a partisan election bill just before they run out the door. But that may not happen due to a prison overloading.
Sorry I think this was a steal. It’s statistically impossible to win the voter ID measure by the margin they did but then vote for a liberal judge who is not for it especially when this election got out the most republicans ever. Sorry let’s stop trying to justify it and call it what it was – a steal. Time for an in-depth audit by musk and indictments for the thieves involved.