MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The billionaire Elon Musk Has aided President Donald Trump in swiftly altering the federal administration during the initial weeks of the year, yet he has realized that he cannot alter the laws of political gravity.
Musk and associated entities invested $21 million into turning the tide. Wisconsin Supreme Court To adopt a more cautious approach, he ended up witnessing his candidate lose by 10 percentage points on Tuesday. The defeat was even greater by four points compared to the sole other Republican appearing on the statewide ballot without ties to Musk’s funding.
For a long time, Republicans were skeptical about their chances of winning the seat because Democrats’ well-educated supporters have shown strong turnout in less prominent races like the recent election in Wisconsin during the Trump administration. However, throughout his business ventures and emerging political journey, Musk has enjoyed challenging those who doubted him.
Leveraging several strategies he used to aid Trump’s successful campaign in November, which saw over $200 million spent, Musk plunged into Wisconsin. This effort transformed the race into the costliest judicial contest ever recorded. The initiative spurred high voter turnout for an April election; however, it concluded much like the previous one, where conservatives faced a double-digit defeat in another court race back in 2023.
At best, this result moved the needle by only one percent," stated Charles Franklin, a law professor and polling expert from Marquette University in Milwaukee. "This places into context the notion that every move Trump makes will turn out to be perfectly favorable come November.
Susan Crawford, the Dane County judge who emerged victorious in Tuesday’s election, along with fellow Democrats, zeroed in on Musk as they argued for maintaining the 4-3 court majority among liberals following the retirement of an additional liberal justice.
Tonight, Wisconsinites defended ourselves against an unparalleled assault on our democracy, our impartial elections, and our Supreme Court," Crawford stated in her victory address on Tuesday evening. "Wisconsin rose up and firmly declared that justice cannot be bought, and our courts are not for sale.
The event served as the initial significant gauge of the political influence exerted by Musk, who has seen his profile rise dramatically within President Donald Trump's administration amidst its unpredictable nature. cost-cutting project that has significantly reduced funding for federal agencies. Musk has challenged established norms and, according to legal experts, potentially overstepped boundaries. Constitution , by gutting Congressionally approved agencies and initiatives garnered only subtle resistance from the Republican-led Congress.
This occurred because Trump has systematically taken actions to broaden his base. authority and use the power of the federal government against his critics.
Nevertheless, Tuesday’s ballot served as a reminder that typically, the president's party loses momentum during midterm elections. Up until now, the Trump administration hasn’t managed to shield the Republican Party from the strongest possible adversary within the nation—the electorate itself.
Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist from Dartmouth College, stated that the manner in which Trump targeted specific individuals and organizations has hindered collaboration among those opposing him,
However, the outcome in Wisconsin and the shrinking vote gaps during special elections in Republican-controlled congressional districts in Florida may be changing that .
"It seems that the electoral landscape is tipping significantly against Republicans," Nyhan stated.
Trump endorsed conservative Brad Schimel as the Wisconsin race turned into a proxy fight over national political issues. The state’s high court can rule on cases involving voting rights and redistricting in a state likely to be at the center of both the upcoming midterm elections next year and the presidential race in 2028.
But Musk’s involvement dialed those dynamics Up to 11: "A seemingly minor election might shape the course of Western civilization," the tycoon stated on Monday in one final appeal to voters via his platform X. "I believe this will impact the world's future."
Significantly, America PAC, the super PAC supported by Musk, invested at least $6 million in hiring vendors to send door-knocking canvassers throughout the state, as reported by the non-profit organization Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. This approach mirrored their strategy from the previous autumn when they focused on seven closely contested presidential swing states, one of which was Wisconsin and where Trump emerged victorious.
The loss in court for Musk wasn’t solely due to the overwhelming Democratic support in strongly liberal urban areas like Madison and Milwaukee. Crawford performed better in regions where the Musk-supported organization America PAC had been actively campaigning. This includes Sauk County, located just above Madison; Crawford secured this county with a margin of 10 points, whereas Trump had barely edged out a win here by under two percentage points back in November.
On Sunday, Musk led a campaign rally in Green Bay attended by 2,000 individuals. Last year, Trump secured victory in Brown County, which encompasses the city, by a margin of 7 percent. However, on Tuesday, the county favored Crawford instead.
Overnight, Musk shared on his X account that "The extended deception from those on the political left involves corrupting the judicial system." In an additional remark, he stated that he had anticipated defeat all along but maintained "there can be merit in sacrificing something now for future strategic advantages."
Certain Republican figures raised doubts about Musk's choice to fully commit to the competition, particularly as members from both major parties anticipated that the GOP would not fare well in the race.
“If the odds suggest it will likely work against your favor, does it make sense to position yourself at the center of events and hold rallies in the final few days, thereby emphasizing this aspect even more?” asked Republican strategist Marc Short, referencing the town hall event hosted by Musk in Green Bay. Short previously served as a key advisor to Trump's ex-Vice President, Mike Pence.
Definitely, voters were thinking about Musk.
There's a bizarre situation unfolding with the Trump administration, and it seems like Elon Musk is attempting to purchase votes," stated Kenneth Gifford, a 22-year-old university student from Milwaukee, as he headed to the polls on Tuesday. "I desire a genuine, reputable democratic system.
Others might not have had their votes swayed by the billionaire, yet they were all too conscious of the funds flooding into their state.
Jim Seeger, a 68-year-old retired professional from the fields of communications and marketing, stated that he cast his vote for Schimel due to his desire for Republicans to keep their significant dominance within Wisconsin’s congressional delegation. He expressed concern that this control might diminish should the court with a liberal lean decide to reorder the electoral maps. However, he also conveyed his disappointment over how the contest has evolved into more of a "money game."
"I believe it's regrettable that we must allocate such significant funds, particularly for a judicial election," Seeger remarked while casting his vote in Eau Claire.
Beyond his political efforts, Musk awarded three separate voters $1 million apiece for joining a petition with the aim of goose turnout . Wisconsin's Attorney General, Josh Kaul from the Democratic party, sued to prevent Musk from completing the payments, but the state Supreme Court unanimously declined to make a decision on the case based on a technical detail.
Musk pledged to provide $20 to individuals who registered on his team’s website and shared photos of themselves canvassing for Schimel. Additionally, his group assured a reward of $100 for each person who signed the petition opposing "activist judges," with an extra $100 bonus for every referral they brought in.
Democrats were pleased to have Musk on their side. lightning rod in the race.
People aren’t interested in seeing Elon Musk win one election after another," stated Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler on Monday. "Should this approach succeed here, he will likely replicate it across the nation.
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Riccardi provided reporting from Denver. Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Washington also contributed to this report.
Nick Riccardi and Tom Beaumont from The Associated Press