Wisconsin votes in high-profile judicial race after millions spent by Musk

(Reuters) -Wisconsin voters were choosing a new justice for the state's top court on Tuesday in a race that offers an early referendum on Donald Trump's presidency, with abortion rights, labor rights and election rules all potentially in the balance.

The campaign is easily the most expensive judicial contest in U.S. history. More than $90 million has been spent by the candidates, the state parties and outside groups - including more than $21 million by Trump ally Elon Musk and political groups with ties to him, according to a tally from New York University's Brennan Center.

Liberal Susan Crawford, a county judge, and conservative Brad Schimel, a former Republican state attorney general and also a county judge, are vying for a seat on the court that currently has a 4-3 liberal edge, but with one liberal retiring.

The race is technically non-partisan, though Trump has endorsed Schimel and state Democrats and Republicans have lined up behind their preferred candidate.

Polls closed at 8 p.m. CDT (0100 GMT).

In another test of Trump's popularity, two Florida Republicans won their special elections to fill U.S. House vacancies created by Trump's cabinet picks, U.S. media organizations projected.

The victories give Republicans a House majority of 220-213.

Republicans had been expected to easily hold both seats, so the parties were watching to see how close the Democrats might come.

In one district that includes Daytona Beach, Republican state Senator Randy Fine defeated Democrat Josh Weil, a public school educator. Fine was up around 14 points, after Michael Waltz, now Trump's National Security Advisor, won the seat by 33 points in November.

In the other race around Pensacola, Republican state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis defeated Democrat Gay Valimont, a gun violence prevention activist. Patronis was up nearly 15 points, after Valimont had lost the seat to Matt Gaetz, once Trump's nominee for Attorney General, by 32 points in November.

BATTLEGROUND STATE

Wisconsin's top court is likely to issue critical rulings on voting rights and election rules ahead of the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race, when the state is expected to remain a central battleground. Trump won Wisconsin in November by less than a percentage point - the closest margin of any state.

The court is also poised to decide whether abortion rights should remain legal statewide and could revisit a Republican-backed law that stripped most public employee unions of collective bargaining rights.

On Tuesday, Wisconsin voter Gary Christenson, a retiree, said he would support Schimel.

"If a liberal gets in there, they're going to continue to try to destroy Trump's efforts to downsize the government," he said.

Another voter, West Roberts, 26, pledged to vote for Crawford.

"Supporting everyday people is more important than people who were supporting Elon Musk or the multi-billionaires," Roberts said.

Musk, whose so-called Department of Government Efficiency is overseeing Trump's unprecedented cost-cutting campaign at the federal government, has become a central figure in the race. He held a rally on Sunday night where his main super PAC, or political action committee, handed out $1 million checks to two voters.

Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general, Josh Kaul, sued to block the payments, arguing that they violated a state anti-bribery law. The state Supreme Court declined to take up the case without comment shortly before Sunday's event.

Musk, who spent more than $250 million to help Trump win election in November, also promised to pay volunteers $20 for every voter they recruit before Tuesday's election. On Tuesday he offered $100 to voters to upload a photo of anyone holding a picture of Schimel while gesturing thumbs up.

The Tesla CEO has said "the future of Western civilization" is at stake, because the court may potentially rule on redistricting, or redrawing political maps, which could tip the balance between Republicans and Democrats in a closely divided U.S. House of Representatives, affecting Trump's ability to govern.

Democrats have sought to highlight Musk's involvement, with Crawford's supporters emphasizing that Musk may have a personal stake in the outcome. Tesla sued the state in January over a law barring car manufacturers from opening dealerships, a case that could eventually come before the state Supreme Court.

Musk did not respond to a request for comment about accusations he has a personal interest in the election's outcome.

Crawford's campaign has gotten a boost from billionaire Democratic megadonors, including philanthropist George Soros and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax in New York and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; additional reporting by Dan Fastenberg and Hussein Al Waaile in Genesee, Wisconsin; Editing by Nia Williams)