Elon Musk Just Dumped $1.6 Million in Wisconsin to Flip a Supreme Court Seat

Set your calendar: April 1st is a critical election. That’s the day Wisconsin voters will head to the polls to vote in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race that could decide the future of a number of issues in the state from gerrymandering to reproductive rights to collective bargaining and more.

And, just weeks before the April 1st election, we are now learning that there is significant outside money flowing into the race in an effort to support the Republican-backed judge running. If you want to know who is behind this dark money push, look no further than Donald Trump’s Senior Advisor and the leader of DOGE, Elon Musk.

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We now know that a nonprofit organization that goes by the name “Building America’s Future,” is funded by Elon Musk, and has spent $1.6 million on television advertisements that support conservative Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel.

Schimel’s opponent, Democratic-backed Judge Susan Crawford, has raised concerns about the role of outside influence in the race, stating she believes Elon Musk is directly involved in the decision to fund these advertisements. Wisconsin law restricts direct corporate donations to political campaigns, but under the Citizens United ruling, there are no federal limits on how much corporations or nonprofits can independently spend to influence elections, provided they do not explicitly coordinate with a candidate’s campaign.

Although Wisconsin Supreme Court races are officially nonpartisan, the ideological divide is clear. Crawford argues that Musk’s involvement emphasizes partisanship in what should be an impartial race, stating that his support for Schimel is an effort to protect a Republican agenda. In contrast, Crawford says she is committed to maintaining a nonpartisan campaign that upholds judicial independence. Crawford is backed by the state’s Democratic Party.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court currently holds a narrow 4-3 liberal majority, making this election crucial for shaping the state’s judicial direction. The outcome could impact key legal battles on issues such as redistricting, abortion, union rights, and public employee protections. Many in the state argue that if Judge Schimel wins, then the Republicans in the state legislature will be able to gerrymander the state and cost Democrats up to two seats in the House of Representatives.

As a key swing state, Wisconsin’s elections frequently draw significant financial investments from both conservative and liberal donors, with national political groups seeing the state as a battleground for broader political control.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s rulings on critical issues could have lasting effects beyond the state’s borders.

With Election Day approaching, both candidates continue to raise funds and rally supporters. However, the influence of dark money and outside political spending remains a contentious issue, raising questions about the role of wealthy donors like Musk in shaping judicial races that could have profound legal and political implications. If you are in Wisconsin, I want you to be aware of the election and also be aware of Musk’s spending in the race.

Let me know, are you voting?