SUBSCRIBE & SAVE Less than $3 per week View Profile The Explainer Talking Points The Week Recommends Newsletters From the Magazine The Week Junior Food & Drink Personal Finance All Categories Newsletter sign up today's big question Why is Musk targeting a Wisconsin Supreme Court race? His money could help conservatives, but it could also produce a Democratic backlash Newsletter sign up Democrats may not be able to beat Trump, but 'they can still beat the hell out of Musk' (Image credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images / AP) Joel Mathis, The Week US 28 March 2025 Elon Musk is throwing his weight around in national and international politics these days. But the world's richest man is also plowing his considerable money into state-level politics, backing efforts to elect a conservative to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The Badger State race has become a "proxy battle over the nation's politics," said The Associated Press. Musk is backing Brad Schimel, the conservative in an "officially nonpartisan contest" that will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control the court. Musk is testing the legal limits: The billionaire said on X he would "personally hand over two checks for a million dollars" to a pair of voters in the race. That post was "deleted by noon on Friday," said Politico. But Musk has still spent considerably. His PAC has spent $12 million on the race, and he has additionally given the state GOP $3 million. Wisconsin's politics have become "all about Musk," said The Nation. He is not the only billionaire involved: George Soros and Michael Bloomberg have joined in, too. The race matters because it is "perfectly plausible that state courts will be roped in" to the legal battles over Musk and President Donald Trump's attempt to expand presidential authority. Musk "wants to ensure he can prevent any check on himself and Trump from the states," said Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, to the outlet. Subscribe to The Week Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives. SUBSCRIBE & SAVE Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. What did the commentators say? The election will be a "crucial test of Musk's power," said Kate Shaw at The New York Times. Trump's ally is trying to "dictate the direction of state-level democracy," a threat to the "core constitutional value" of federalism. States will be "ever more critical sites for the preservation of rights and the rule of law." However, Musk's involvement could also produce a backlash, serving as a "galvanizing moment for voters troubled by this billionaire's influence in our politics." Wisconsin voters "could pop Elon Musk's bubble," said Paul Fanlund at The Cap Times. A victory by the Democratic candidate, Susan Crawford, "could also help break Musk's hold on Republicans." If Schimel loses the race after getting Musk's backing, though, elected GOP officials may come to realize that his money cannot inoculate them from the backlash to the "dismantling of federal programs." The Wisconsin Supreme Court case could end up "repudiating Musk and Trump in a manner that resonates loudly and nationally." There are concerns about whether "voters are well served" when state races are "nationalized with buckets of money," said The Washington Post. One report pegged overall spending on the campaign at $59 million, "blowing past the previous record." Such big spending is the "way campaigns are run now," said Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, whose retirement created the court opening. Democrats have made Musk a "major focal point in the race's final stretch," said NBC News. If the strategy works, the party will seek to use it in other battleground states. Democrats may not be able to beat Trump, said a GOP strategist, but "they can still beat the hell out of Musk." The election is on Tuesday. Explore More Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Joel Mathis, The Week US Social Links Navigation Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association. 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