The liberal candidate for a critical seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Susan Crawford, has defeated conservative Brad Schimel despite Elon Musk pouring an estimated $25 million into his campaign.
The race, which determined ideological control of the state’s High Court, was billed as one of the biggest tests of Donald Trump’s second administration and marks a massive blow to his agenda. The liberals will now retain a 4-3 majority on the court, which could affect rulings on abortion and voting rights as well as other issues.
Meanwhile, international markets wait tentatively for the president to unveil his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariff plan as part of an aggressive attempt to fulfill his administration’s economic agenda.
Trump is expected to unveil his plans at 4 p.m. Wednesday at a “Make America Wealthy Again” event in the White House Rose Garden after the market closes.
White House aides drafted a proposal to impose 20 percent tariffs on most imports into the U.S. on the eve of Trump’s “Liberation Day,” three sources told the Washington Post. Multiple options were still being explored Tuesday, they added.
Read More
Key Points
- Susan Crawford wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race in blow to Musk and Trump
- 'Wisconsin beat a billionaire': Democrats celebrate Brad Schimel's defeat at ballot box
- Trump’s tariffs in numbers: The biggest losers amid escalating US trade war
- Cory Booker breaks record for longest ever Senate speech as he calls for resistance to Trump
- Trump aides 'draft proposal for 20% tariffs on most imports' to US
'Wisconsin beat a billionaire': Jubilant Dems celebrate Crawford state Supreme Court win
08:40
,
James Liddell
Congratulations to Judge Susan Crawford on her victory, and to the people of Wisconsin for electing a judge who believes in the rule of law and protecting our freedoms.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 2, 2025
Judge Susan Crawford's victory is a victory for working people in Wisconsin. She will take her seat on the bench and continue to uphold the rights and protect the freedoms of all people in her state.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 2, 2025
Last night, I joined the @WisDems team to thank them for their hard work in… pic.twitter.com/MPciWFdZMR
Wisconsin beat the billionaire.
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) April 2, 2025
Mike Johnson throws cold water on Trump’s musings about a third term
08:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a constitutional law expert, cast doubt on Tuesday on the viability of Donald Trump’s stated interest in running for a constitutionally barred third term as president.
“There’s a constitutional path. You have to amend the constitution to do it,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol. “That’s a high bar.”
Josh Marcus reports.
White House digs in after mistakenly deporting Maryland father to El Salvador
07:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
The White House is angrily deflecting questions over how a Salvadoran man who had sought asylum in the United States was sent back to his home country despite having been granted protected legal status.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the deportation by claiming Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a leader of the notorious MS-13 gang who had engaged in human trafficking.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.
Could Musk's role at DOGE be drawing to an end?
06:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump has hinted that it could be the end of the road for Elon Musk and DOGE as the advisory department lies on the brink of being dismantled.
Madeline Sherratt explains.
Watch: Kid Rock mocked for Oval Office attire
05:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
WATCH: Newly elected Wisconsin Supreme Court justice tells Elon Musk 'courts are not for sale'
05:05
,
Gustaf Kilander
Susan Crawford says ‘courts are not for sale’ after Elon Musk spends millions in Wisconsin Supreme Court race
05:03
,
Gustaf Kilander
In remarks to supporters after her projected victory against Elon Musk-backed Brad Schimel for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, liberal Judge Susan Crawford said the state’s voters “fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy.”
Crawford’s election to the battleground state’s highest court marks one of the first major electoral tests of Donald Trump’s presidency and the power of Elon Musk’s money.
The race has served as a proxy battle over the nation’s political future in the wake of Trump’s chaotic first few months back in the White House alongside the world’s wealthiest man, who has pumped tens of millions of dollars into the race.
The ‘Dirty 15’ countries braced for harder hit from Trump’s tariffs
04:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
As the world economy braces for Donald Trump’s unveiling of a swathe of tariffs, some country leaders will be fearing the worst after Washington singled out a “dirty 15” list of nations.
Although not naming the countries, treasury secretary Scott Bessent said the group of nations traded heavily with the U.S. and had high tariffs on U.S. goods, plus held non-tariff barriers such as domestic-content production rules.
Coining the term “dirty 15”, Bessent was referring to 15 per cent of countries that account for the bulk of U.S. trading volume - a list of nations economists expect could be hit by Trump’s tariffs.\
Alex Croft reports.
WATCH: Schimel announces concession
04:28
,
Gustaf Kilander
"Just didn't work." Brad Schimel said he called Susan Crawford to concede the state Supreme Court race.
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) April 2, 2025
Read More: https://t.co/2UJej1lOq3 pic.twitter.com/toYANHzQvv
'This was a Susan-versus-Goliath struggle of Biblical proportions'
04:09
,
Gustaf Kilander
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler said in a statement that “Wisconsinites turned out at record levels to deliver a resounding, well-earned Supreme Court victory for a candidate who represents our state’s highest ideals.”
“Wisconsin Democrats enthusiastically congratulate Justice-elect Susan Crawford and look forward to a ten-year term of jurisprudence marked by integrity, impartiality, and common sense,” he added. “This was a Susan-versus-Goliath struggle of Biblical proportions. Elon Musk made this race a referendum on himself. Schimel sought to make it a referendum on Donald Trump.
“Ultimately, voters chose between Schimel, Musk, and Trump on one side, and Susan Crawford, freedom, and democracy on the other,” he argued. “The voters’ verdict sends a resounding message: Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election demonstrates Musk and Trump have gone too far, and any politician allied with them could swiftly face the end of their political career.”
DNC Chair: 'Wisconsin squarely rejected the influence of Elon Musk'
04:06
,
Gustaf Kilander
Tonight, the people of Wisconsin squarely rejected the influence of Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and billionaire special interests. And their message?
Stay out of our elections and stay away from our courts - Wisconsin is not for sale. The DNC congratulates Justice-elect Susan Crawford on her decisive victory in tonight’s Wisconsin Supreme Court election.
This is why we organize everywhere – to protect people’s fundamental rights and freedoms, to stop the richest men in the world from buying the government, and to win elections that ultimately improve the lives of Americans.
Democrats are overperforming, winning races, and building momentum. We’re working hard to continue the trend in the Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey elections this year and then – with the people on our side – to take back the House in 2026.
DNC Chair Ken Martin
Crawford declares 'justice does not have a price, our courts are not for sale'
03:53
,
Gustaf Kilander
In a victory speech after the results were declared, Crawford said, “All right, Wisconsin, we did it.”
“Just moments ago, I received a phone call from Judge Brad Schimel conceding the race,” she added. “And I want to thank him. He was very gracious, and I wish him and his family well.”
“This campaign has been an incredible, life-altering experience, in so many ways, and I’m so grateful to have earned the trust and support of voters across this great state,” said Crawford.
“Growing up in Chippewa Falls, I never could have imagined that I would be taking on the richest man in the world,” the judge told her supporters.
“Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price, our courts are not for sale,” she added.
If tariffs are a disaster, this is whom Trump world will blame
03:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
It’s unclear what impact President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs will have on the U.S. economy, but if things go badly, members of the administration are reportedly ready to blame Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
Ariana Baio explains why.
'Wisconsin voters showed that abortion access is not up for negotiation'
03:45
,
Gustaf Kilander
Tonight, Wisconsin voters showed that abortion access is not up for negotiation.
Despite Elon Musk trying to buy his way into this race by funneling millions of dollars into Brad Schimel’s campaign, Wisconsinites overwhelmingly showed up to defend their rights.
We congratulate Judge Crawford on this hard fought victory, and look forward to seeing her work on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju
Kirk: 'Politics is an afterthought for many of our supporters'
03:43
,
Gustaf Kilander
In a lengthy post on X, Charlie Kirk said, “We did a lot in Wisconsin, but we fell short.”
He added: “We must realize and appreciate that we are the LOW PROP party now. The party has been remade. Special elections and off-cycle elections will continue to be a problem without a change of strategy.”
Kirk went on to say, “We are the party of welders, waiters, and plumbers.”
“We are the party of people who work with their hands, who shower before and after work,” he said. “Politics is an afterthought for many of our supporters. They have common sense and American values, but they are voters who must be CHASED.”
We did a lot in Wisconsin, but we fell short.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 2, 2025
We must realize and appreciate that we are the LOW PROP party now. The party has been remade.
Special elections and off-cycle elections will continue to be a problem without a change of strategy.
We are the party of welders,…
Crawford victory 'decisive win for protecting abortion access and workers’ rights'
03:41
,
Gustaf Kilander
Joseph Geevarghese, the Executive Director of Our Revolution, said in a statement, “Despite pouring over $20 million into this race—including handing out million-dollar checks to voters—the world’s wealthiest man has failed to secure a conservative majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.”
“Judge Susan Crawford’s victory is a decisive win for protecting abortion access and workers’ rights in Wisconsin,” he added. “It also serves as a crucial safeguard against Donald Trump’s ongoing attempts to subvert American democracy and erode judicial independence.”
Trump celebrates passage of voter I.D. measure in Wisconsin
03:38
,
Gustaf Kilander
VOTER I.D. JUST APPROVED IN WISCONSIN ELECTION. Democrats fought hard against this, presumably so they can CHEAT. This is a BIG WIN FOR REPUBLICANS, MAYBE THE BIGGEST WIN OF THE NIGHT. IT SHOULD ALLOW US TO WIN WISCONSIN, LIKE I JUST DID IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, FOR MANY YEARS TO COME!
Donald Trump
Susan Crawford wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race in massive blow to Trump and Musk agenda
03:34
,
Gustaf Kilander
Alex Woodward writes:
Wisconsin voters have elected a liberal justice to the state’s Supreme Court, with Susan Crawford defeating Elon Musk-backed Brad Schimel in the most expensive judicial election in American history and one of the first major electoral tests of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Her victory in a closely watched race for control of the court — serving as a proxy battle over the nation’s political future in the wake of Trump’s chaotic first few months back in the White House — will preserve a 4-3 liberal majority on the state’s highest court, which could decide on litigation involving abortion access and voting rights, among other critical issues.
Tuesday’s results are expected to serve as an early litmus test for Trump’s agenda, and they delivered a massive blow for Trump’s billionaire adviser, who has spent more than $20 million to support Schimel’s campaign.
Read more:
Susan Crawford wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race
03:21
,
Gustaf Kilander
The liberal candidate in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Susan Crawford, triumphed over Elon Musk-backed conservative Brad Schimel, according to the Associated Press.
Trump celebrates Florida wins
02:53
,
Gustaf Kilander
BOTH FLORIDA HOUSE SEATS HAVE BEEN WON, BIG, BY THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.
THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, AS ALWAYS, PROVED FAR GREATER THAN THE DEMOCRATS FORCES OF EVIL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO AMERICA!!!
Donald Trump
Lauren Boebert confuses Oliver and Roger Stone as she questions movie director about MAGA faithful’s book
02:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
Lauren Boebert drew ridicule online with her latest public faux pas, after confusing acclaimed filmmaker Oliver Stone with MAGA ally Roger Stone.
The firebrand Colorado congresswoman made the slip while speaking at a congressional hearing on Tuesday to discuss the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy, and quickly walked back her remarks after being corrected by another witness.
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Republicans hold onto a House seat after help from Trump and Musk
02:14
,
Gustaf Kilander
Eric Garcia writes:
Republicans held onto a House seat in Florida in a special election on Tuesday evening after a closer-than-expected contest, allowing Republicans to add to their narrow majority.
Randy Fine, a right-wing senator in the state legislature, won a special election to replace National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, who resigned the seat. Fine defeated Josh Weil, a Democrat who received a tidal wave of outside support from Democrats who hoped to turn the race into a referendum on President Donald Trump.
The race turned out to be much closer than expected in a district that voted for Trump by 30 points and that had previously elected Ron DeSantis when he served in Congress. DeSantis and Fine had consistently clashed, with DeSantis warning that Fine would underperform.
As of Tuesday evening, Fine won the district by 14 points, easily beating Weil but underperforming Trump’s performance in November by half.
Read more:
DNC chair congratulates Democrats who ran in Florida's 1st and 6th districts
02:11
,
Gustaf Kilander
Congratulations to Gay Valimont on running a strong campaign that will make a difference for Florida’s 1st Congressional District for years to come.
Her massive overperformance in a Trump +37 district is the best performance for Democrats in the district this century and spells trouble for Republicans everywhere.
Valimont made critical inroads in this deeply red district and showed Republicans that, even in a place Trump won by nearly 40 points, this seat would not be handed to them.
I thank Gay Valimont for her leadership and for once again stepping up to run in a difficult district.
Make no mistake: The momentum is on our side.
Democrats have overperformed in 15 out of 16 special elections this year.
Democrats are going to keep winning races and – ultimately – take back the House next year.
DNC Chair Ken Martin on the race in Florida's 1st district
Congratulations to Josh Weil for running a strong campaign.
In 2025, Democrats have overperformed the top of the ticket in nearly every election as voters turn out in blue, purple, and red districts to voice their anger at Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Tonight was no different. Trump promised to lower costs on Day One. Instead, he and his shadow president Elon Musk have taken a chainsaw to our economy and jeopardized programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
From a Pennsylvania Democrat winning in a deep-red district last week to Donald Trump being terrified of losing Elise Stefanik’s seat, Republicans everywhere know a reckoning is coming – Democrats are taking the majority in 2026.
DNC Chair Ken Martin on the race in Florida's 6th district
Turkish student detained by ICE sues for immediate release
01:45
,
AP
A University of Minnesota graduate business student who's being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement is suing for his immediate release, saying his arrest violated his rights and he's been given little explanation for why he's being held.
The lawsuit filed this week on behalf of Doğukan Günaydın, 28, a Turkish citizen, says two plainclothes federal officers arrested him on the street outside his St. Paul home while he was on his way to class Thursday.
Read on...
Polls close in Wisconsin Supreme Court race
01:39
,
Gustaf Kilander
The polls have closed in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race as of 9 p.m. E.T.
Voters have cast their ballots in the race that will determine whether liberals hold on to a 4-to-3 majority or if conservatives will take control of the judiciary.
The race is technically nonpartisan, but the Republicans and Democrats each have their preferred candidate, with the liberals backing Judge Susan Crawford and the conservatives supporting Judge Brad Schimel.
Those who are in line as of 8 p.m. C.T. (9 p.m. E.T.) will still get to vote.
As many as seven polling sites in Milwaukee ran out of ballots because of “historic turnout for a spring election,” according to the city’s election director. More ballots were being printed and sent out.
Republican Jimmy Patronis wins special election in Florida’s 1st Congressional District
01:27
,
AP
Republican Jimmy Patronis won a special election Tuesday in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, bolstered by President Donald Trump’s endorsement to fill a vacant seat in reliably Republican northern Florida and despite national Democrats pouring millions into the race.
Patronis, the state’s chief financial officer, fended off a challenge from Democrat Gay Valimont even though she far outraised and outspent him. He will fill the northwest Florida seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was chosen to be Trump’s attorney general but withdrew from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.
Valimont benefited from the outrage of national donors alarmed by the early months of Trump’s second term, but was ultimately not able to pull off what would have been a massive upset in a district both Trump and Gaetz won by more than 30 points last year.
ICE agent held in contempt for detaining suspect mid-trial
01:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
A Boston Municipal Court has held an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in contempt after he tried to arrest a defendant during their trial.
Judge Mark Summerville held ICE agent Brian Sullivan in contempt on Monday night, The Boston Globe reports, after he arrested Wilson Martell-Lebron on the first day of a trial related to 2020 charges for filing a false application for a driver’s license.
Katie Hawkinson has the details.
Cory Booker breaks record for longest ever Senate speech as he calls for resistance to Trump
Wednesday 2 April 2025 00:36
,
Gustaf Kilander
Richard Hall writes:
Cory Booker was recounting a story about the late civil rights leader John Lewis, and forgiveness, as he entered the 19th minute and 24th hour of a historic speech on Tuesday evening.
In that moment, the first Black Senator from New Jersey broke a record for the longest speech ever made in Congress, set 67 years ago by South Carolina segregationist Strom Thurmond, who spoke for a day and a night in opposition to the Civil Rights Act.
Overcome with emotion, he looked up to the ceiling and touched his heart.
“All right, I want to go a little bit past this and then I'm going to deal with some of the biological emergencies I'm feeling,” he said.
Booker, an avuncular 55-year-old senator who ran for president in 2020, drew from the lessons of civil rights leaders throughout a marathon speech against the policies of Donald Trump.
Read more:
Republican state Sen. Randy Fine wins special election for Florida’s 6th Congressional District
Wednesday 2 April 2025 00:35
,
AP
Republican state Sen. Randy Fine won a special election Tuesday to represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District, defeating Democratic challenger Josh Weil and squashing efforts by national Democrats who spent millions of dollars on the race.
Fine had faced growing pressure during the race’s final days as some Republicans publicly criticized his campaign and fundraising efforts. His victory ends Democratic hopes to score a huge upset in a district that was heavily supportive of President Donald Trump in November.
The race to fill the seat vacated by Mike Waltz when he was tapped to become Trump’s national security adviser received national attention. Democrats poured money into Weil’s campaign to outraise Fine by nearly tenfold, attempting to flip a seat where the president won by more than 30 points.
Fine, a self-described “conservative firebrand,” ran with Trump’s endorsement.
Cory Booker sets a record with marathon Senate speech
Wednesday 2 April 2025 00:30
,
AP
In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s sweeping actions.
Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.
It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to show their frustrated supporters that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to filibuster the advance of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.
Election guru Steve Kornacki is leaving MSNBC for a new role — but he isn’t going far
Wednesday 2 April 2025 00:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
Data wizard Steve Kornacki is moving from MSNBC to join NBC News ahead of the liberal cable network’s split from its parent company.
Kornacki, the network’s data guru who has become a fixture of election nights, is leaving MSNBC and is expected to become a regular on Meet the Press, NBC Nightly News, and the Today show, an NBC spokesperson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Oliver Stone calls for Congress to reinvestigate JFK assassination
Tuesday 1 April 2025 23:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Filmmaker Oliver Stone called on Congress to fully reinvestigate the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, following the Trump administration’s release of newly declassified JFK documents last month.
Stone, who directed the award-winning 1991 film JFK, made the comments on Tuesday while testifying before the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets in the House of Representatives.
He argued that past efforts like the 1964 Warren Commission had not done their job properly
Josh Marcus reports.
Melania talks ‘power of love’ at women’s awards event as Trump continues his push for mass deportations
Tuesday 1 April 2025 23:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
First Lady Melania Trump underscored the “power of love” at the International Women of Courage Award ceremony as her husband, President Donald Trump, continues to deport people en masse.
Kelly Rissman listened to the first lady’s remarks.