DONALD TRUMP WAS dealt a spinning blow by voters in Wisconsin yesterday after they elected a liberal judge to the state’s Supreme Court, despite his billionaire advisor Elon Musk pouring millions into the race to sway the polls.

Liberal judge Susan Crawford soundly defeated Trump-backed Brad Schimel with more than 95% of the vote tallied, according to US media.

“Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price,” Crawford said in her victory speech after the most expensive judicial contest in US history.

Republicans had pursued an all-out effort to flip the Wisconsin state Supreme Court – which rules on things like voting district boundaries – with Musk pouring almost $25 million into the race and traveling to Wisconsin.

“The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary,” Musk posted on his social media platform as results poured in.

Trump appeared to ignore the outcome on social media, highlighting a separate Wisconsin ballot initiative requiring voters to present photo identification to cast a ballot.

“Voter I.D. just approved in Wisconsin election…this is a big win for Republicans, maybe the biggest win of the night,” he posted on TruthSocial late last night.

‘Fate of civilization’

Musk, who has spearheaded Trump’s attempts to gut much of the US government in a right-wing cost-cutting drive, had personally campaigned for Schimel.

Musk has cast the race as “a vote for which party controls the House of Representatives” and has implied “the future of civilization” is at stake.

On Sunday, the tech billionaire also controversially gave away two $1m checks to attendees at a rally in his latest effort to support Schimel.

Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders told voters on X they had “the power to REJECT Musk and the oligarchy buying our elections.”

After Crawford’s win, he said Wisconsin “defeated the wealthiest person on earth.”

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

US media called the race for Florida’s sixth district in favor of Republican Randy Fine yesterday evening, 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.

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

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

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.”

But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered an optimistic view, telling broadcaster MSNBC that the smaller margins in districts won handily by Trump “should have my Republican colleagues quaking in their boots.”

Big stakes, bigger money

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

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

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

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

“Wisconsin beat the billionaire,” said Minnesota Governor and former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.

Billionaire Musk’s Green Bay rally on the weekend drew an enthusiastic crowd, but the South African-born oligarch’s role in Wisconsin elections provoked as much resistance as support.

At a pro-Crawford rally, 65-year-old retired electrical engineer Rob Patterson held up a sign showing Musk giving a straight-armed salute.

“Our Supreme Court is not for sale,” the sign read.