Elon Musk’s Influence in Politic Spotlight After Wisconsin Judicial Campaign Loss
TL/DR –
Elon Musk, serving as a White House advisor, played a pivotal role in the most expensive judicial campaign in U.S. history, backing former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel with more than $15 million. Despite Musk’s financial support, the Trump-endorsed candidate lost against Madison County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford in a race that was seen as a bellwether for Republican Party politics. While some view the results as concerning for Republican performance, others downplay the loss as Musk’s influence continues to shape key political races.
Democrats Win in Expensive Judicial Campaign; Tesla’s Musk’s Influence under Scrutiny
Democrats have seized a victory in a high-stakes judicial campaign, raising questions about the impact of Tesla’s Elon Musk’s influence on the Republican party. Musk, a key White House advisor, deployed his personal fortune and allied support groups to bolster the Trump-supported candidate, former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel. Despite these efforts, Madison County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford emerged victorious, turning Musk’s involvement into a robust counter-strategy.
Even though the race was officially nonpartisan, partisan undertones were palpable, transforming the event into a proxy vote on Trump’s presidency and Musk’s burgeoning GOP influence. The elections also served as the Republican’s first statewide litmus test of the second Trump administration.
Despite the disappointing results, Trump advisers are downplaying the defeat as an off-year election anomaly with lower turnout compared to the recent presidential race. However, Republican insiders and sources familiar with Musk’s strategies emphasize that the billionaire will continue supporting Republican campaigns.
On the back of Schimel’s defeat, the GOP is exploring how Musk’s high-profile involvement will affect key political races ahead of the 2026 midterms. A recent NBC News poll revealed that a majority of voters (51%) hold negative views of Musk.
As Musk and Trump remain silent about the Wisconsin result, the White House has showcased an “unprecedented” involvement in the contest, underlining the race’s significance to Trump. The attention leading up to Election Day was primarily fixated on Musk, who was Trump’s biggest donor last year and has hinted at utilizing his wealth to sway future races.
Musk’s unprecedented involvement in the race and his generous campaign contributions to Schimel, including a petition contest with a $1 million prize, has left Republicans wondering about his role in upcoming elections and his ability to incite the opposition.
For the third time, the Wisconsin presidential race was a close call, with Trump narrowly beating Vice President Kamala Harris. Although Trump supporters celebrated two congressional seats wins in Florida, Democrats also made some gains amidst low turnout in the historically Republican seats.
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