Why Elon Musk Is Spending Big on a Wisconsin Court Race

The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is expected to be the most expensive state judicial contest in U.S. history.

The entrance to the Wisconsin Supreme Court chambers.

Todd Richmond/AP

Elon Musk and other Republican billionaires are already funneling millions into Wisconsin in hopes of flipping its majority-liberal Supreme Court. And after a disastrous result for conservatives in 2023, observers expect the cash to keep flowing.

“The Republican millionaires and billionaires had their ass handed to them on a plate last time. So they got the memo,” said Brandon Scholz, former executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, has spent $1 million in canvassing for conservative candidate Brad Schimel. Building America’s Future, a conservative nonprofit that Musk has previously funded, is spending more than $3 million on television ads against liberal candidate Susan Crawford. Midwest billionaires and significant GOP donors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein have forked over $1.3 million to the state Republican Party and another $2.4 million in TV ads via their super PAC.