- Republican groups outspend Democrats nearly 3:1 in early campaigning
- Musk-affiliated PACs pour over $5 million into judicial election
- Ruling could impact 2024 abortion access and union rights
- Democrats launch $1M counteroffensive targeting swing county voters
Wisconsin's Supreme Court election has emerged as ground zero for national political forces, with tech billionaire Elon Musk's financial involvement sparking fierce Democratic backlash. The April 1 contest will determine control of the court ahead of pivotal rulings on reproductive rights, labor protections, and electoral maps. Recent campaign filings reveal conservative groups have spent nearly $14 million compared to $13 million from liberal organizations, marking the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history.
Democratic strategists are framing the election as a referendum on corporate influence in judiciary politics. Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler accused Musk of attempting to purchase judicial outcomesthrough his America PAC and Building America's Future groups, which have funded attack ads against progressive candidate Susan Crawford. The controversy intensified when Tesla filed litigation against Wisconsin's dealership laws - a case that could reach the state Supreme Court.
In Sauk County, a bellwether region that flipped from Trump to Biden in 2020, Democrats are hosting town halls to highlight potential conflicts of interest. Local voter Pam Henderson, 54, told reporters: When billionaires spend more than our schools' budgets to elect judges, something's broken.Historical data shows judicial races with PAC involvement see 37% more attack ads than donor-limited elections.
Republican candidate Brad Schimel maintains his impartiality despite accepting Musk-linked funding. Donations don't dictate decisions,Schimel stated at a Milwaukee rally, while criticizing Crawford's support from liberal donors like George Soros. Campaign finance experts note this race continues a decade-long trend where judicial candidates receive 62% of funding from out-of-state sources.
With early voting beginning March 20, both sides are testing unconventional strategies. Democrats are deploying TikTok influencers to reach young voters, while Musk-aligned groups use AI-generated phone polls. The Wisconsin Democracy Coalition warns such tactics could reduce voter trust, citing 2022 research showing 68% of citizens believe money corrupts judicial fairness.