Brad Schimel’s loss to Judge Susan Crawford last week should serve as a wake-up call for Republicans nationwide. Despite a massive financial investment from Elon Musk and an endorsement from President Trump, the conservative Schimel lost decisively, preserving the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 4-3 liberal majority.
This disappointing defeat in what once was a conservative area is a cautionary tale for Republicans, and it confirms that local government threatens the future of the Republican Party on a national level.
Local government is always a proving ground for liberty-focused principles like limited government, fiscal responsibility and growth via business development (as opposed to high taxes). City councils, county boards and state courts don’t just implement policy — they substantially influence the political landscape where national battles are won or lost. The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is a bold example of this idea. Now, the court is poised to rule on issues like redistricting, abortion and labor unions. Its liberal majority will threaten to redraw congressional maps in ways that could cost Republicans seats in the U.S. House.
This is not just about one local seat; it is about a cycle of disregard.
Too often, Republican energy is shunted into prominent national races, leaving local contests hung up: underfunded, understaffed and, frankly, underwhelmed. While crucial, the national focus on general elections overlooks the grassroots infrastructure that all but guarantees enduring victory. Posts online from influential conservatives like Jack Posobiec echo this sentiment, as he laments, “This is a wakeup call for MAGA. You can't rely on big names like Trump or Elon to carry us in every off-cycle election. You need a machine that fights every race down to the local level.”
The Wisconsin results prove him correct. Democrats outraised and out-mobilized Republicans, turning Musk’s millions into a sad story about money without a gameplan. This is why I decided it was essential to get involved in my own community, by joining my city council in Huntington Beach, Calif.
People are afraid to get involved in local politics, for fear of being canceled (or worse). But you’d be surprised by how empty that threat is. The lion's share of city residents wants reasonable-minded leaders to creatively address complex issues with fortitude and not fear.
Huntington Beach is a bastion of pragmatism in a state that is dead-set on becoming a colossal policy failure, given its runaway taxes, ballooning crime, growing homelessness and dangerous drug abuse. In a recent ranking, it was revealed as California’s best-run city, based on its high quality of services, education and healthy residents. All of this can be traced back to reasonable city government, which can direct money toward public safety, law enforcement, mental health services and ordinances that prevent criminals from destroying the fabric of the community. ...
