Elon Musk said he will give two people in Wisconsin who voted early in the state’s Supreme Court race $1 million each on Sunday night.
Musk’s Thursday announcement comes as he campaigns heavily for conservative candidate Brad Schimel in his race against liberal Judge Susan Crawford for a spot on Wisconsin’s top court. The winner of the April 1 election will determine the ideological leaning of the court and could impact future cases on congressional maps, voter ID, union reforms, and abortion.
“On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election. 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,” Musk posted on his X social media platform late Thursday night.
Musk’s America PAC has been spending millions on ads backing Schimel, Wisconsin’s former GOP attorney general, and attacking Crawford for her leftist record as a judge. The political action committee also gives $100 to every Wisconsin registered voter who signs a petition to oppose “activist judges.” To be eligible, voters must provide their address and cell phone number.
The PAC recently announced that it had designated Scott Ainsworth, a mechanical engineer from Green Bay, as a $1 million spokesman for the petition.
“Everyone should do what I did. Sign the petition, refer your friends, get out and vote early for Brad Schimel,” Ainsworth said in a video posted by the PAC. “If everyone in the MAGA moment shows up and votes for Brad Schimel, we will win.”
Musk took a similar approach during the 2024 election, handing out $1 million payments to registered voters in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania who signed a petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. A judge rejected a challenge to those payments.
Crawford, backed by Wisconsin Democrats, has accused Schimel of being bought by Musk.
“It’s corrupt, it’s extreme, and it’s disgraceful to our state and judiciary,” Crawford spokesman Derrick Honeyman said of the payments.
The race has quickly turned into the most expensive state Supreme Court race in history. While Schimel has been boosted heavily by Musk, Crawford has raked in support from leftist billionaires George Soros, Reid Hoffman, and Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker.
