As Wisconsinites Embrace Early Voting, Anti-Musk Protesters Aim for Success in Supreme Court Race

EAU CLAIRE, Wis.—In a politically charged area, one of the nation’s most controversial figures has come to shape the narrative surrounding the forthcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election.

Local advocates supporting Susan Crawford, endorsed by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and a coalition of Democrats, are attempting to frame the race as a referendum on Elon Musk. The special government advisor is backing the Republican candidate, Brad Schimel.

Election Day is set for April 1.

“Musk holds immense influence,” stated Anne, a local woman who chose not to give her last name, during a Crawford rally in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on March 25.

“He wasn’t elected to anything,” she remarked to The Epoch Times.

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During a protest in Eau Claire on March 26, Barb Wise held a sign related to DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, a temporary government commission where Musk plays a pivotal role.

“Elon Musk is attempting to buy the Supreme Court in Wisconsin,” she declared to The Epoch Times.

As of March 28, over 500,000 absentee ballots have already been cast in advance of the April 1 election, which also includes various state and local positions.

This Supreme Court race, while officially non-partisan, bears significant political implications as perceived by those contributing their time and resources.

A win for Schimel, who previously served as attorney general under Gov. Scott Walker, would shift Wisconsin’s high court to a conservative majority of 4–3. This shift could influence key issues, from abortion to elections, impacting even House seats in a closely divided Congress.

In a discussion with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin on March 24, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) indicated that “an enlightened Supreme Court” could reshape Wisconsin’s congressional map to rectify what he termed gerrymandering.

The liberal-leaning court deemed a former set of district boundaries unconstitutional in December 2023. Following that, Wisconsin’s GOP-controlled state legislature quickly sanctioned new congressional maps drawn by Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat. Subsequently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court obstructed efforts by Democrats, including Evers, to further modify those boundaries.

Speakers at the Eau Claire rally on March 26 included Rebecca Cooke, a Democrat who lost last November’s Third District House race to incumbent Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.). Earlier in March, she announced her intention to challenge him in that competitive district next year. Cooke had also run in 2022 but lost her party’s primary to a local state senator, Brad Pfaff.

The GOP has occasionally faced challenges in mobilizing voters when the president’s name isn’t on the ballot. A recent upset win by a Democrat in a Pennsylvania state Senate election has given some party members renewed hope, still reeling from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreeing to a Trump-backed funding bill earlier this month.

However, some attendees at the pro-Crawford gathering in Eau Claire expressed worries about the tight race. Although Trump and Musk may provide a negative focal point for Democrats, their involvement could serve to energize Republican voters.

Wise remarked, “People on the other side came out of the woodwork” in November simply to vote for Trump, drawing from her experience as a poll watcher.

A young attendee named Amanda Shipley at the Eau Claire rally noted that Musk and Trump possess “an aura” that resonates with young male voters.

She expressed confidence in activists’ initiatives to focus the dialogue on Musk, commenting that many voters she interacts with are often perplexed about Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration.

“They just know he’s part of it, but aren’t clear on what that entails,” she explained. “I believe he has too much influence.”