Elon Musk said the ideological balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court could determine “the future of civilization” as he spoke to a crowd of 2,000 supporters at a Green Bay rally on Sunday.
During the event, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX also handed out $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters as part of an initiative that offered a prize for those who signed a petition “in opposition to activist judges,” as he described it.
The rally comes days ahead of a judicial election expected to shape major decisions in the critical battleground state.
Why It Matters
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is expected to rule on consequential issues in the near future, including congressional redistricting, abortion access, labor laws and voting rights.
Already the most expensive judicial contest in U.S. history, the race has surpassed $81 million in spending. Musk has framed the election as a national concern, asserting that it could affect which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives.
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What To Know
Sporting a yellow cheese-head hat, Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump, took the stage and emphasized the significance of the race.
“It’s a super big deal,” the billionaire said. “I’m not phoning it in. I’m here in person.”
Musk and affiliated political groups have poured more than $20 million into supporting conservative candidate Brad Schimel, a former attorney general backed by Trump.
The race pits Schimel against Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, whom Democrats and liberal-aligned groups support, and could flip the 4-3 liberal majority on the state’s highest court.
Musk’s checks to two individuals selected as grassroots “spokespeople” drew a last-minute legal challenge from Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, who argued the act violated state law barring the exchange of valuables for voting.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously declined to hear Kaul’s challenge minutes before Musk’s rally began.
The liberal-majority court offered no rationale for declining to take the case. Two lower courts had already rejected Kaul’s arguments.
“Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote,” Kaul argued in court filings. “Yet, Elon Musk did just that.”
Musk’s legal team countered that the payments were protected political speech under the state and U.S. constitutions. The checks were not intended to sway votes, they argued, but to “generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges.”
Musk’s lawyers also petitioned the court for the recusal of two liberal justices—Jill Karofsky and Rebecca Dallet—who had endorsed Crawford. Both declined to step aside, saying they would explain their reasoning in a future written statement.
The strategy mirrors one Musk’s political action committee used before the 2024 presidential election, when it offered $1 million per day to voters in Wisconsin and six other swing states who signed a petition supporting First and Second Amendment rights.
A Pennsylvania judge ruled at the time that the effort did not constitute an illegal lottery.
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk said during his address at the Green Bay rally: “I think this will be important for the future of civilization. It’s that significant … If the (Wisconsin) Supreme Court is able to redraw the districts, they will gerrymander the district and deprive Wisconsin of two seats on the Republican side. Then they will try to stop all the government reforms we are getting done for you, the American people.”
Ben Wikler, the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said in a statement: “Let’s be very clear: Elon Musk committed a crime the moment he offered million-dollar checks ‘in appreciation for’ voting, and deleting evidence of that crime changes nothing. Under Wisconsin law, merely the offer of something of value—in this case, the chance to receive 1 million dollars—is plainly illegal.”
Brad Schimel, who was seen wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat at the rally, said on Fox News Sunday: “I do not control any of the spending from any outside group, whether it’s Elon Musk or anyone else. That’s exactly what I’ve committed to anybody, whether it’s President Trump, Elon Musk or any donors and donors or supporters or voters in Wisconsin. That’s my commitment.”
What Happens Next
Tuesday’s election could shift the ideological control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, with implications stretching to the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election.
This article uses reporting by the Associated Press.
