Billionaires Musk and Soros push Wisconsin Supreme Court race spending over $100M

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Spending by billionaires including Elon Musk and George Soros has helped to push total spending on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race won by the Democratic-backed candidate over $100 million, the Brennan Center for Law reported Friday.

That is the most ever spent on a U.S. court race and roughly double the previous record of $51 million spent in 2023, also on a Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Both contests were for ideological control of the court in the battleground state.

For perspective, the $100 million spent on this race is roughly the same as was spent on 68 supreme court elections across 26 states in 2021 and 2022 combined, according to a Brennan Center tally.

Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford won the election Tuesday over Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel, who had the endorsement of Musk and President Donald Trump.

Musk spent at least $3 million on the race himself and groups he funds spent nearly $19 million more, according to the Brennan Center. Democratic billionaires George Soros and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker spent a combined $3.5 million to help Crawford.

Musk's America PAC handed out $1 million checks to three Wisconsin voters who signed a petition against “activist” judges. Musk delivered two of the checks in person on Sunday. Signers of the petition were offered $100 each, payments Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general challenged unsuccessfully in court.

Several other billionaires on both sides helped fuel the unprecedented spending that also broke records for turnout in a Wisconsin court race when there was no presidential primary on the same ballot. More than 50% of the voting age population cast ballots in Tuesday's race that Crawford won by 10 points.

Her victory keeps the state's highest court under a 4-3 liberal majority as it has been since 2023. It will face several high-profile cases in the coming years, including those affecting abortion rights, union powers, voting rules and congressional redistricting.

Schimel lost despite having a spending advantage of almost $8 million, according to the Brennan Center. Schimel and his supporters spent $54 million compared with $46.2 million for Crawford, the Brennan Center found.

Judicial races used to be low-cost, relatively staid contests but in recent years there has been a major boost in interest and spending.

There is a growing understanding nationwide about the importance of state supreme court races as policy fights over the hottest issues of the day, including abortion rights, are playing out there, said Douglas Keith, senior counsel in the judiciary program at the Brennan Center.

But this year's Wisconsin race shattered all expectations, moving into territory normally seen in a governor's race.

Spending on the Wisconsin governor’s race in 2022, won by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, was $164 million, a record high for the state.