President Donald Trump and his top donor Elon Musk are ramping up their efforts in Wisconsin to get out the vote for conservative judicial candidate Brad Schimel in the state’s Supreme Court race.
About a week before the pivotal election between Schimel and liberal Judge Susan Crawford, both Musk and Trump are urging conservatives to vote early. The outcome of the April 1 race will determine the court’s ideological leaning, as liberal judges currently have a 4-3 majority.
“In the Great State of Wisconsin, a Radical Left Democrat, one who is insistent on bringing hardened CRIMINALS, that we removed to far away places, back into our Country, allowing men into women’s sports, Open Borders, and more, is running against a strong, Common Sense Republican, JUST CALL HIM BRAD, for the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” Trump posted on Sunday. “It’s a really big and important race, and could have much to do with the future of our Country. Get out and VOTE, NOW, for the Republican Candidate — BRAD!!!”
Trump first officially endorsed Schimel on Friday, saying that Crawford is soft on crime and has given violent criminals “light sentences.”
At the same time, Musk’s America PAC has been spending millions backing Schimel, running ads throughout the state highlighting Crawford’s record as a judge. One of the ads run by his political action committee highlights a case where Crawford sentenced a man convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls in a pool to just four years in prison, well below what prosecutors had requested and the maximum penalty that could have been imposed.
Musk’s America PAC is also giving $100 to every Wisconsin registered voter who signs a petition to oppose activist judges, similar to strategies he implemented during the 2024 presidential race. To sign, you have to provide your address and cell phone number.
The race is turning expensive as the outcome could determine how the court is likely to rule on issues from election maps, abortion, voter ID laws, and union reform.
According to some estimates, around $76 million has been spent on the race so far, making it the most expensive state Supreme Court race in history. WisPolitics reported that approximately $40.9 million has been donated in favor of Schimel, while $35.8 million has gone toward backing Crawford.
Liberal megadonors like George Soros, Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker, and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman back Crawford. She has claimed that Musk is buying Schimel and would serve as a rubber-stamp for Trump.
Schimel hosted a live audio conversation on Saturday with Musk and Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson.
“Effectively the reason I’m bringing this to people’s attention is because this really has implications for Wisconsin, but for the whole country,” Musk said. “This election is going to affect everyone in the United States.”
Musk says that the Supreme Court may strike down congressional maps and approve election maps that are more favorable to Democrats, shifting Wisconsin’s delegation to Congress.
During the conversation with Musk and Johnson, Schimel said the election would have major implications.
“If you don’t like the law, you don’t ask the court to change it you go to the legislature to get the legislature to change it,” Schimel said. “And if we don’t maintain and respect the way that our three branches of government are set up and divided, and their powers are separated … our republic won’t survive.”
