A pair of groups funded by Elon Musk are among the top three outside spenders in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, a pivotal contest that could determine state laws around reproductive rights, fair congressional district maps, collective bargaining rights, and more.
The election, where majority control of the Wisconsin high court is at stake, has been flooded with more than $73 million in spending, according to a tally by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice. The spending shatters the state’s previous spending record, and watchdogs predict it will surpass $100 million. Early voting began on March 18 ahead of Election Day on April 1, and ads are blanketing the state’s airwaves and running on social media.
The two Musk-tied groups—the super PAC America PAC, and the nonprofit Building America’s Future—have spent more than $14.3 million combined so far backing former state Attorney General Brad Schimel, the conservative candidate. Schimel faces the liberal candidate, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, for the seat of retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, a liberal. Two years ago, Wisconsin voters flipped the court to a 4-3 liberal majority after more than a decade of conservative control.
America PAC has spent $8.4 million backing Schimel so far, according to Wisconsin Ethics Commission filings, making it the top-spending group in the election after the campaigns themselves. Much of it has gone to digital ads, mailers, and canvassing. The super PAC was founded by Musk in May 2024 to back Trump’s presidential campaign, along with those of other federal candidates, and was bankrolled by hundreds of millions of dollars last cycle by Musk.
Recently, America PAC began offering $100 to Wisconsin voters to sign its petition and refer other registered voters to sign, repeating a data-harvesting tactic it used in battleground states last year.
