Why Elon Musk Is Involved in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

T
he significant Republican victory from last year’s elections will be put to the test this Tuesday in a special election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

This contest has turned into the priciest judicial election ever in the U.S., with expenditures approaching $100 million as candidates Brad Schimel, endorsed by Donald Trump, and liberal-supported Dane County Judge Susan Crawford go head-to-head. The outcome will determine the court’s supermajority, which currently leans liberal.

The stakes of the Wisconsin election are significant, potentially influencing national issues such as abortion rights and congressional redistricting. The latter could notably alter the composition of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a narrow majority of 218 to 213, with four vacancies in play. Additionally, a special election in Florida concerning the seats held by National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and former Rep. Matt Gaetz has already put Republican dominance in jeopardy.

Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and CEO of X, along with his supporters, has contributed roughly $20 million to back Schimel, even personally distributing checks of $1 million to two Wisconsin voters on Sunday.

“If the [Wisconsin] Supreme Court gets the chance to redraw the districts, they will gerrymander the lines, depriving Wisconsin of two Republican seats,” Musk stated on Sunday. “They will also attempt to hinder all the government reforms we are working to achieve for you, the American populace.”

Election day in Wisconsin is April 1st. Here’s what you should know.

Who are the candidates?

This election will shape the ideological balance of the court in a swing state that saw Trump win the presidency in 2024 but opted for former President Joe Biden in 2020.

Schimel, who previously served as Wisconsin’s Attorney General and labels himself a “top cop” on his campaign website, is backed by Musk. He pledges to adopt a tough stance on crime and positions himself against “rogue judges nationwide who prioritize their radical agendas over the law.”

He is also receiving support from Trump.

Crawford, Schimel’s challenger, is a Circuit Court Judge who aims to safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of Wisconsinites as enshrined in the constitution. With a background as a prosecutor and a private attorney previously representing Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Crawford asserts her commitment to defending essential rights threatened by a right-wing agenda.

She has garnered endorsements from four current justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, and organizations like the Wisconsin Education Association Council and Emily’s List.

Why does Elon Musk care so much about this race?

Musk, who described the race as crucial for the “future of civilization” at an America PAC event on Sunday, has played a significant role in funding the election. While individual campaign donations can only reach $20,000, Musk has already contributed at least $3 million to Wisconsin’s Republican Party, with other groups funded by him pouring more than $20 million into the race.

Crawford has openly criticized Musk’s involvement, stating, “Elon Musk is attempting to buy himself a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He wants to place someone there whom he believes he can influence and gain access to.”

Additionally, Tesla is currently facing a lawsuit concerning dealer licenses after its application was denied in 2024 due to a state law that prohibits manufacturers from owning dealerships, as reported by Wisconsin Public Radio. This case could potentially reach the state’s Supreme Court.

Is Musk really handing out $1 million checks to voters?

On Sunday, Musk indeed distributed a million-dollar check to two registered voters in Wisconsin.

He previously employed this strategy during the general election, offering a million-dollar prize to voters who registered in swing states. Legal experts suggested this tactic was questionable since federal law prohibits financial incentives for voter registration.