In Wisconsin, conservative groups spent over $53 million on a state Supreme Court race, including millions from two political action committees linked to Elon Musk. In Florida, two Democratic candidates outraised their Republican opponents by millions.
Yet in both of these closely watched elections, the sides that raised and spent the most both failed to turn those dollars into advantages in voter turnout.
In Wisconsin, liberal Judge Susan Crawford is projected to win Tuesday’s election, despite record-shattering spending against her from allies of her conservative opponent, Judge Brad Schimel. She was considered the favored candidate to win, but national GOP figures like Musk and President Donald Trump waded into her race, Musk opened his wallet and Republican mega-donors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein and Diane Hendricks cut checks too.