Elon Musk's Massive Spending 'Insulted' Wisconsin, Blamed For GOP Loss

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Elon Musk's Massive Spending 'Insulted' Wisconsin, Blamed For GOP Loss
https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-wisconsin-election-spending-loss-2054168

Published Apr 02, 2025 at 10:43 AM EDT

Kamala Harris Takes A Dig At Elon Musk After Wisconsin Supreme Court Win
By Theo Burman


Elon Musk's spending in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election race not only failed to secure his candidate the win, it may have actively hurt his own campaign, according to experts.

Musk spent over $25 million supporting GOP-backed Brad Schimel in the race against the Democrat's pick, Susan Crawford, and personally visited the state to support him, but analysts told Newsweek that the influx of money and influence from the White House "insulted" voters, and Crawford was elected.


Why It Matters

Despite being a state-level election, the Wisconsin Supreme Court race was elevated to national attention by Musk's campaigning and media coverage of the race, which decided if a liberal majority would control the state judiciary. The race became a test of Musk's ability to influence local elections, and Crawford's victory gives Democrats a much-needed morale boost after the presidential election loss in November.

What To Know

Elon Musk threw his weight behind Schimel in the run up to the election, funding the judge's campaign with over $22 million via the America PAC and raising awareness via a petition against "activist judges," which rewarded three signees with $1 million checks.

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