Billionaire Elon Musk’s recent foray into Wisconsin politics, marked by substantial financial contributions to a state Supreme Court race, has drawn significant scrutiny and raised questions about his future involvement in political campaigns. Following a decisive defeat for the candidate he supported, Musk’s pledge to reduce political spending has been met with skepticism and mixed reactions from both Democrats and Republicans in the state.
Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, made a high-profile appearance in Green Bay just days before the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, wearing a cheesehead hat and distributing $1 million checks to supporters. His substantial financial backing, which contributed to the race becoming the most expensive state Supreme Court election in U.S. history, failed to sway voters. The candidate he endorsed lost by a 10-point margin, including a 3-point loss in Brown County, home to Green Bay.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party, which dubbed its campaign efforts “People vs. Musk,” celebrated the election outcome as a victory against the influence of billionaire donors. “The people have won,” stated Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler. “The biggest funder in Republican politics is taking his toys and going home.”
Retired Republican strategist Brandon Scholz acknowledged the negative impact of Musk’s involvement, stating, “After that court race, he deserves to be labeled as toxic.” However, Scholz also suggested that Musk’s influence might not be permanently diminished, particularly in high-stakes elections. “Does he bring with him a lot of baggage? Possibly,” Scholz said. “But over time, maybe not as much.”
Musk’s substantial spending in the Wisconsin race, which included at least $3 million of his own funds and $19 million from Musk-backed groups America PAC and Rebuilding America’s Future, followed his reported $250 million investment in President Donald Trump’s campaign. The defeat in Wisconsin and a subsequent decline in Musk’s public approval ratings, as indicated by an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll, have fueled speculation about his future political engagement.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan expressed skepticism about Musk’s commitment to reducing political spending, suggesting that the announcement is a strategic move to mitigate the negative impact of his involvement. “I don’t believe any of it, first of all,” Pocan said. “This just means they realize how toxic Elon Musk is and the work he did through DOGE.”
Democratic State Senator Kelda Roys echoed Pocan’s sentiments, warning that other wealthy individuals might step in to fill the void left by Musk. “There’s a ton of other billionaire bros, I’m sure, willing and happy to step up in his place,” Roys said.
Scholz suggested that Musk might continue to influence elections through less conspicuous means. “In Wisconsin, he had such a huge, huge, huge profile,” Scholz said. “He became the campaign. He became the story.”
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race, which saw over $100 million spent by both sides, highlighted the increasing role of wealthy donors in state and national elections. Musk’s involvement, characterized by his personal appearance and substantial financial contributions, has placed his political influence under intense scrutiny and raised questions about the future of his political engagement.
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