Susan Crawford, a liberal justice who CAWI endorsed, won the special election which was held on April 1, defeating conservative rival Brad Schimel by more than 8 points.
Musk spent more than $20 million of his own money – including handing out $1 million checks to voters – to rally last-minute support for Schimel, to no avail. CAWI turned out the vote for Crawford the old-fashioned way: with shoe leather, going door to door, and talking honestly with neighbors.
“Today Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy, our fair elections and our Supreme Court,” Crawford said as she accepted the election results. “And Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price, our courts are not for sale.”
“I want all of you to know that talking to people works, organizing works, and democracy works,” said CAWI’s executive director Robert Kraig in response to Crawford’s victory.
“Democracy is a participatory sport – you have to get off the sidelines. And so Wisconsin is the beginning of what we need to do everywhere in order to win.”