Elon Musk has dropped $20 million into a small race in Wisconsin that could prove omniscience for the 2028 midterms and for his Tesla electric car company.
The Tesla founder was in the state on Sunday to hand out two $1 million checks to help Republican candidate Brad Schimel win a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Tuesday’s election.
He even donned a cheesehead hat, a signature item for fans of the Green Bay Packers, as he made his pitch to a crowd of 2,000 people.
‘It’s a super big deal,’ he said. ‘I’m not phoning it in. I’m here in person.’
President Donald Trump also urged voters to come out for the Republican candidate.
‘It’s a big race,’ he told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. ‘I hope you get out and vote for the Republican.’
And he slammed Democratic candidate Susan Crawford as a ‘radical left lunatic.’
‘The woman is a radical left lunatic, and let’s see who wins, but the woman will be very bad. And you know, Wisconsin is a big state politically, and the Supreme Court has a lot to do with elections in Wisconsin,’ he said, adding ‘Winning Wisconsin is a big deal.’
Elon Musk campaigns in Wisconsin while wearing a cheesehead
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will decide a number of key issues in the perennial battleground state, including abortion rights, congressional redistricting and the rules for the 2028 presidential election.
But, for Musk, it’s more personal.
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The court also will decide a lawsuit Tesla has filed challenging a state law that forbids auto manufacturers from opening dealerships, favoring the dealerships to be independently run.
Now he and his money have become a central issue in the contest. Democratic candidate Susan Crawford has dubbed the race ‘The People v. Musk.’
Wisconsin’s open court seat is the first major race of Donald Trump’s presidency. Both sides will be watching it closely as a bellwether for how voters feel about the president and his policies.
America PAC, the super PAC Musk formed to support Trump in 2024, has spent more $12 million on the race. Additionally, Musk has personally contributed $3 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party for the contest, while Building America’s Future, another group with links to him, has spent more than $7 million on attack ads against the Democratic candidate.
But it’s not just Republicans pouring money into the race.
Democratic philanthropist George Soros donated $2 million to the state Democratic Party to support Crawford’s bid.
‘Everybody’s all in,’ Brendan Glavin, the Director of Insights at Open Secrets, told DailyMail.com. ‘I mean, it is astonishing the amount of money.’
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Brad Schimel (Republican on the right) and Susan Crawford (Democrat on the left) at their debate in March
Elon Musk has become a central issue in the race, drawing protesters
George Soros donated $2 million
The contest for the open court seat pits Republican former state Attorney General Brad Schimel against Democrat Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford.
Money is pouring it. It could be a $100 million race.
In addition to Soros, Crawford has in her corner union money; the wealthy Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker; and retired software engineer Gloria Page, the mother of Google co-founder Larry Page.
Schimel has donations from ABC Supply owner Diane Hendricks, who is one of the country’s wealthiest self-made woman; GOP mega donor Elizabeth Uihlein; and Joe Ricketts, founder of Ameritrade and an owner of the Chicago Cubs.
President Trump has endorsed Schimel. Donald Trump Jr. has campaigned for him.
Ideological control of the court hanging in the balance after liberals took control of it in 2023, holding a 4-3 majority. Whoever wins will be elected to a 10-year term that begins in August.
Voters decide on Tuesday who wins the seat.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will have final say on several issues, including abortion rights in the state.
Wisconsin clinics stopped offering abortions in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade because they feared an 1849 state law would prevent them from providing abortions.
However, the clinics resumed the procedures in 2023 after a lower court ruled the law did not apply to them. Now that case is pending before the state Supreme Court.
The justices will also decide the redrawing of Congressional districts in 2023. Currently Republicans hold six of the state’s eight House seats.
And the court will decide voting rules for the 2028 presidential election, in which Wisconsin will be a key battleground state.
Demonstrators protest outside the KI Convention Center before the start of a town hall meeting with Elon Musk on Sunday
Early voting has started in Wisconsin
Brad Schimel, middle, greets Donald Trump Jr., as Charlie Kirk looks on during a town hall meeting this month
Additionally, Musk’s electric car company Tesla has a lawsuit pending in the state challenging its decision to block it from opening dealerships.
The company is challenging a state law that allows only third parties, not auto manufacturers, to operate car dealerships. The law is intended to prevent manufacturers from undercutting independent dealerships.
That case could ultimately end up in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Schimel’s critics have accused Musk of trying to buy a favorable ruling for Tesla should the dealership case make it to the state Supreme Court.
Tesla sells its vehicles directly to consumers so customers in Wisconsin have to go to a neighboring state to purchase an electric vehicle.
Officials with the company have been working for a decade to overturn the law. Two attempts in the state legislature failed to make it through. The company got an exemption for Tesla dealerships into the 2019-21 state budget, but Democratic Gov. Tony Evers used his partial veto powers to erase the provision.
Schimel has repeatedly said he would treat any case involving Tesla the same as any other when he considers whether to hear it or recuse himself. He also says that the donations from Musk and his groups do not make him beholden to them.
Meanwhile, Glavin of Open Secrets warned the massive spending in this race is a sign of big money to come, particularly in the 2016 midterm election.
‘It’s an example of the trend we’ll see of this big money, not just at the national level, but the big money flowing down into lower level races,’ he said.
‘The concerning part is when you have, especially in state or local races, when you have a flood of national mega donor money rolling in, citizens, voters have to be concerned about these outside influences and what it means for their elected officials,’ he added.
‘That’s what we get with the ability of outside spending groups to collect unlimited contributions, you’re giving out size influence to people who can write certain figure checks.’