Wisconsin Working Families Party’s field program; voter contacts deliver victory  

WISCONSIN – Voters strongly voiced their opposition to Elon Musk and Donald Trump and their politics today in Wisconsin where they have elected Judge Susan Crawford to the Wisconsin Supreme Court despite Musk dumping more than $25 million – approximately one-fifth of the total spending in the race. 

Voters rejected Musk and his money as well as Brad Schimel’s “tough on crime” message. But Schimel’s reliance on the Trump/Musk/Republican fearmongering playbook rang hollow for state residents. By contrast, Wisconsin Working Families Party’s messaging on public safety resonated with voters, along with calls to protect investments in public education, affordable housing, and accessible healthcare. And on crime, voters chose Crawford, who will address public safety by getting illegal guns out of communities and increasing access to mental health and addiction resources. During Crawford’s first term, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court may take up consequential lawsuits addressing abortion access, election law, and gun rights. 

“Two favorite Republican tactics failed – unrestricted money and fearmongering. Brad Schimel and his enablers couldn’t buy this election and they couldn’t scare Wisconsinites into voting against the things we care about – public safety, reproductive freedom, and affordable healthcare and housing,” said Corinne Rosen, State Director of the Wisconsin Working Families Party. “Wisconsin voters denied Musk’s money in what will be the first in many defeats as voters realize and exercise our people power.”

To meet this challenge, the Wisconsin Working Families Party executed one of its largest field programs ever leading up to the Spring 2025 general election. The Party had more than 25,605 1-on-1 conversations with voters via canvassing and phones on behalf of Judge Susan Crawford. And 703 volunteers sent 36,868 personal postcards to voters about the Supreme Court race. All told, the Party made 661,330 attempts, 44,841 contacts, and 15,408 voters identified for Judge Susan Crawford.

“With millions of dollars spent attacking Susan Crawford as ‘soft on crime,’ the GOP turned Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race into a referendum on public safety,” said Insha Rahman, Director of Vera Action. “At the ballot box, Wisconsinites faced a clear choice between Brad Schimel’s tough-on-crime rhetoric or Susan Crawford’s solutions for safety, accountability, and justice. The results speak for themselves. Leading with real solutions, not scare tactics, on what works to prevent crime and break its cycle is both good policy and good politics—and a lesson for Democrats across the country to not stay silent or mimic the GOP’s stale tough-on-crime rhetoric.”

“The Working Families Party’s canvassing events for Susan Crawford were powerful and effective,” said John Drew, Chairperson, UAW Wisconsin State CAP Council. “WFP focused on working class neighborhoods in Milwaukee where its messaging led to meaningful conversations with voters and moved them to take action.”

“Canvassing with the Working Families Party this spring was such a good use of my volunteer time,” said Lauren Baker, retired Executive Director at the Milwaukee Teacher’s Educators Association (MTEA) and WFP volunteer from Milwaukee. “The Party’s messaging was spot on and the neighborhoods we were sent into allowed us to have good conversations with a diverse group of working class voters.”

Musk’s quest to open Tesla-owned dealerships in Wisconsin is now in jeopardy. Also in question is Musk’s pledge to fund Republican primary challenges for those who oppose the Trump administration’s sustained attacks on workers, institutions, and rights. 

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The Working Families Party (WFP) is the party of the multiracial working class — Black, brown, and white. In Wisconsin, WFP has been instrumental in electing dozens of state and local elected officials who work on behalf of working families instead of the billionaires and corporations.