Trump faces 1st electoral setback after Wisconsin Supreme Court vote

Donald Trump's second presidency was dealt a spinning blow by voters in Wisconsin Tuesday as they elected a liberal to the state's Supreme Court, despite his powerful adviser Elon Musk pouring millions into the race to sway the polls.

Two months into his barnstorming return to the White House, Trump celebrated victory in a pair of House races in Florida which remained in Republican hands.

But in the first real electoral test of his polarizing presidency, his all-out effort to lodge a new Republican on the Wisconsin Supreme Court fell flat, as liberal judge Susan Crawford came out ahead of the Trump-backed Brad Schimel, according to US media.

Trump had earlier pushed for the conservative judge running for the spot on Wisconsin's top court, saying on social media that Schimel was a "Patriot" while Crawford was a "Radical Left Liberal."

Echoing his usual extreme rhetoric, Trump claimed Crawford has a "History of letting child molesters and rapists off" and that a win by her would be a "DISASTER."

'Fate of civilization'

Musk, who has spearheaded Trump's radical attempts to gut much of the US government in a right-wing cost-cutting drive, went himself to Wisconsin to drum up support for Schimel.

"It's like one of those strange situations where a seemingly small election would determine the fate of Western civilization here," Musk said in a discussion on his social media platform X on Tuesday.

The highlight of his weekend visit to the upper Midwestern state reprised a tactic seen during his efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Kamala Harris in November — handing out money to anyone who signed a petition against so-called "activist judges."

Senator Bernie Sanders, a major force on the left of the Democratic Party, told supporters on X they had "the power to REJECT Musk and the oligarchy buying our elections."

Beyond testing the public mood, the Wisconsin result will decide whether the state's Supreme Court — which rules on things like voting district boundaries — tilts majority left or right.

In Florida, two seats to the US House of Representatives were up for grabs to fill vacancies in Republican strongholds, left by Trump's National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and failed nominee for attorney general, Matt Gaetz.

On Tuesday evening, media called the race for Florida's sixth district in favor of Republican Randy Fine, with Trump tweeting: "Congratulations Randy, a great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE."

Shortly after, media outlets also called the special election in Florida's first district for Trump-backed Republican Jimmy Patronis.

Trump took credit for his party's victory in both deep red districts, posting on social media that "the Trump endorsement, as always, proved far greater than the Democrats forces of evil."

Democrats have been adrift since losing the presidency to Trump and both chambers of Congress in November, and had hoped that a decent showing in Florida and a win in Wisconsin could be the spark.

In Florida, they were defeated by double-digit percentage margins in both special elections.

Big stakes, bigger money

Illustrating the stakes of the contest in Wisconsin, the race has set a spending record — much of that in advertising and attempts, particularly by Musk, to drive turnout.

Musk, who spent roughly US$277 million on Trump's 2024 election campaign, presented checks of US$1 million to two voters and US$100 each to other voters who signed his petition.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, more than US$53.3 million has been spent by Schimel and his backers, including US$12.2 million from Musk's America PAC.

Crawford's campaign and those backing her have spent an estimated US$45.1 million.

The spending has made the Wisconsin race the most expensive in US judicial history, the center said.