Later this week, TV ads paid for by one of Elon Musk’s political groups, Building America's Future, are scheduled to start airing in Wisconsin.
Musk, who has been in the headlines for major budget and job cutting at the federal level, has reportedly spent at least $1.5 million on commercials supporting Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel in the April Supreme Court contest. Schimel’s opponent is Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.
Much of Musk’s so-called government efficiency work at the request of President Donald Trump has triggered lawsuits and protests against Musk, a billionaire business executive.
When asked about Musk’s financial support during a Marquette University forum Tuesday, Schimel said he appreciates anyone who helps get out his message.
“Because it’s hard to reach all the voters in Wisconsin. I wish it could work that we could just do bus tours and stop and have people in all the communities," Schimel said.
Schimel said has campaigned in every Wisconsin county, and began reaching out to voters 15 months ago to try to bypass all the political ads "so they could see who I am. They could check and see that I don’t have any horns. I didn’t go bald on purpose. But it’s helpful to show I don’t have any horns.”
Schimel also said Crawford’s campaign has indirectly received $1 million from philanthropist George Soros and $500,000 from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Crawford’s campaign said Schimel can "hit them all he wants," but pointed to the Musk ad buy and another million dollar one from the conservative group Fair Courts America.
A few other wealthy individuals have given several hundred thousand dollars to either Crawford or Schimel.
Schimel didn’t take questions from a group of reporters waiting for him after the Marquette event.
Musk’s support of Schimel prompted a small anti-Schimel rally just before the Marquette session.
Calena Roberts is with the Milwaukee group Power to the Polls. She said Musk has too much influence , and is trying to buy the Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
“It has to stop and it’ll be a cold day in hell before we give up and allow it to happen," Roberts said.
Roberts said if Musk and others help conservative jurists take over a state Supreme Court currently controlled by liberals, bad things will happen — such as a return to gerrymandering helping Republican legislators.
Schimel and Crawford are running to replace liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who is retiring.
