GREEN BAY, Wis. — On Sunday, Elon Musk made headlines by distributing $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters, designating them as representatives of his political initiative. This action took place ahead of an election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which Musk emphasized as pivotal for President Donald Trump’s objectives and “the future of civilization.”
Addressing a crowd of around 2,000 people in Green Bay while donning a yellow cheesehead hat, Musk stated, “It’s a super big deal. I’m not phoning it in. I’m here in person.” To date, Musk and the groups backing him have funneled over $20 million into supporting Brad Schimel, the conservative candidate in the race scheduled for Tuesday. The outcome will influence the court’s ideological balance, potentially affecting significant issues in Wisconsin, a critical battleground state. The contest has increasingly spotlighted Musk, with opposition from Susan Crawford, the liberal candidate, and her supporters, who criticize Musk’s influence over the court.
Musk asserted, “I think this will be important for the future of civilization. It’s that significant.” He highlighted that the state’s Supreme Court could address the redistricting of congressional districts, impacting which party could gain control of the U.S. House. “And 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,” he remarked. “Then they will try to stop all the government reforms we are getting done for you, the American people.”
On Sunday, the state Supreme Court unanimously rejected an eleventh-hour bid by the Democratic Attorney General to prevent Musk from delivering checks to two voters. This decision occurred mere moments before the rally was set to start.
Two lower courts had already dismissed the legal challenge by Democrat Josh Kaul, who contended that Musk’s actions violated state law. “Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote,” Kaul argued. “Yet, Elon Musk did just that.” The state Supreme Court, with a 4-3 liberal majority, opted not to take the case as an original action, offering no justification for its decision. Kaul did not immediately comment on the order.
Musk’s attorneys defended the giveaways, asserting that he was exercising his free speech rights. They argued that any attempt to restrict this would infringe upon both the Wisconsin and U.S. constitutions. The funds are “intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate,” Musk’s representatives explained.
Previously, Musk’s political action committee employed a similar approach before the last presidential election, promising to pay $1 million daily to voters in Wisconsin and six other key battlegrounds who supported a petition for the First and Second amendments. A Pennsylvania judge ruled that prosecutors had not proven this effort to be an illegal lottery, allowing it to persist through Election Day.
Currently, the court’s liberal majority consists of four justices who have all endorsed Susan Crawford, the Democrat-supported candidate. Prior to the rally, Musk’s legal team requested the recusal of two liberal justices, Jill Karofsky and Rebecca Dallet, who have campaigned for Crawford, citing potential conflict of interest. However, both justices refused the request, pledging to provide detailed explanations in due course.
One conservative justice on the court has openly supported Schimel, who wore a “Make America Great Again” hat at campaign events held on Sunday. In a national television appearance, Schimel clarified, “I do not control any of the spending by outside groups, whether it’s Elon Musk or anyone else.” He affirmed that Trump’s only request was a commitment to “reject activist judges” and uphold the law. “That’s exactly what I’ve committed to anybody, whether it’s President Trump, Elon Musk, donors, supporters, or voters in Wisconsin. That’s my commitment,” Schimel insisted on “Fox News Sunday.”
This election has broken national records for judicial race spending, topping $81 million. It occurs as the Wisconsin Supreme Court is poised to rule on pivotal issues like abortion rights, congressional redistricting, union power, and voting regulations—all of which could influence the outcomes of the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election within the state.