Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Photo: Patrick Pleul
The election of a Supreme Court judge is underway in Wisconsin, which could determine the future of key political issues in the United States. This campaign has become the most expensive judicial race in the country’s history, with over $90 million spent. Among the main sponsors are Elon Musk, who has transferred more than $21 million to support conservative candidate Brad Schimel, as well as Democratic donors, including George Soros, Reuters reports.
Liberal judge Susan Crawford and conservative Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general, are running for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The election is taking place amid a heated political battle, as the court could decide the fate of election laws, abortion rights and labour legislation.
Despite the officially non-partisan status of the election, both political forces mobilised significant resources to support their candidates. Musk, who actively supports Donald Trump, said that this choice would determine the future of “civilisation”, and his foundation paid a million dollars each to two voters during a campaign rally. The state prosecutor’s office tried to block the payments, claiming a possible violation of the bribery law, but the Supreme Court refused to hear the case.
The Wisconsin election is crucial for the upcoming presidential race, as it is traditionally one of the most competitive states. In 2020, Trump won the state by a narrow margin, and any changes to the electoral law could affect future votes.
