A small race in Wisconsin has pitched two of the world’s biggest political donors against one another: Elon Musk and George Soros.
Musk is fervent supporter of Republican causes. His super PAC spent about $200 million to help elect Donald Trump as president. Soros has spent billions helping Democrats and liberal causes, becoming a boogeyman for the right who use his name as an attack slogan against ‘woke’ causes.
Now each billionaire is focusing his financial might on an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Two of Musk’s groups – America PAC and Building America’s Future – have spent a combined $20 million on the Republican candidate while Soros has given $1 million to the state Democratic Party for its candidate.
Musk himself will campaign in Wisconsin on Sunday, he announced on his X platform. ‘On Sunday night I will give a talk in Wisconsin, he wrote.
More than $73 million has been spent in total on the race, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel predicted the number could hit $100 million by the time the election is over. It has become the most expensive judicial race in history.
‘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.’
Elon Musk (left) is supporting the Republican candidate in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race while George Soros (right) is supporting the Democrat
The contest for the open court seat pits Republican former state Attorney General Brad Schimel against Democrat Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford.
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.
Each side is using the big name donations against the other.
The president called Crawford ‘the handpicked voice of the Leftists who are out to destroy your State, and our Country – And if she wins, the Movement to restore our Nation will bypass Wisconsin.’
Crawford, meanwhile, is trying to use Musk’s donations to Schimel against him, even referring to the candidate as Elon Schimel.
She has dubbed the race ‘The People v. Musk.’
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.
Republican former state Attorney General Brad Schimel (left) and Democrat Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford (right) are vying for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court; voters decide on Tuesday
Early voting has started in the Wisconsin race
Voters decide on Tuesday who wins the seat.
The small state race is attracting national attention for multiple reasons, including the fact it’s the first election after Trump became president.
Both parties see it as an early litmus test for how voters are feeling about the Trump presidency.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court also 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.
Election worker Mike Quieto with the city of Madison puts out voting signs near the state Capitol ahead of polls opening for the first day of early voting
Demonstrators protest outside of an event hosted by GOP candidate Brad Schimel
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.
Musk caused some confusion when he deleted his original post about campaigning in Wisconsin, in which he said he’d give away a million dollars to two voters who took part in early voting.
‘Entrance is limited to those who have already voted in the Supreme Court election,’ he wrote.
‘I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote. This is super important.’
He deleted that and wrote a new post clarifying the matter.
‘To clarify a previous post, entrance is limited to those who have signed the petition in opposition to activist judges,’ he wrote. ‘I will also hand over checks for a million dollars to 2 people to be spokesmen for the petition.’
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.’
