Record-Setting Campaign Funding in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Having exceeded $81 million in expenditures, the race has transformed into a battleground for billionaires from outside the state.
GREEN BAY, Wis.—The Wisconsin Supreme Court election has evolved into a proxy conflict for liberal and conservative benefactors who have invested over $81 million in a race that both sides believe will influence the future of Wisconsin and the nation.
Competing in the April 1 election are Brad Schimel, a county judge from Milwaukee’s suburbs with Republican backing, and Susan Crawford, a Madison jurist supported by Democrats.
While Wisconsin’s judicial elections are officially nonpartisan, candidates can indicate their political affiliations through their statements on various issues.
Schimel, who held the position of Wisconsin attorney general from 2015 to 2019, has received endorsements from President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Crawford boasts the endorsement of the state’s Democratic Party, former President Barack Obama, the Wisconsin teachers’ union, Planned Parenthood, and the AFL-CIO.
Also supporting Crawford are four justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, generally recognized as the court’s liberal faction.
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Conservatives view this race as pivotal for both the state and national landscape. Musk and others argue that if liberals maintain their 4–3 majority on the court, congressional district maps may be altered to benefit Democrats, potentially shifting power dynamics in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Liberals perceive this election as a referendum on Musk, who has emerged as a key supporter of Schimel’s campaign.
“Elon Musk is attempting to purchase Wisconsin, and we want to demonstrate that we are not for sale,” stated Kristin Lyerly, 54, from Green Bay, to The Epoch Times. Lyerly, a former Democratic congressional candidate, played a role in organizing a protest against Musk during a town hall event on March 30.
While Musk has significantly contributed to the race, his donations represent only a portion of the overall spending, predominantly sourced from out-of-state contributors.
Crawford’s campaign has expended over $21 million, whereas Schimel’s campaign spending was reported to be under $10 million as of March 13. Notable contributors to Crawford’s campaign include billionaires George Soros, Reid Hoffman, and JD Pritzker.
Navin Jaruqumillia, secretary of the Republican Party of Dane County, Wisconsin, expressed confusion regarding the protests against Musk.
“I don’t understand the fixation on Elon Musk,” Jaruqumillia told The Epoch Times. “The reality is that 77 percent of Susan Crawford’s funding has come from outside of the state.”
Elon Musk gives $1 million to Wisconsin voter Nicholas Jacobs during a town hall meeting at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wis., on March 30, 2025. Scott Olson/Getty Images
During the March 30 town hall, Musk unveiled an initiative by America PAC aimed at encouraging attendees to engage in door-to-door efforts to raise awareness for the election and promote Schimel’s candidacy. Participants would receive $20 for facilitating a photo opportunity with potential voters while holding a picture of Schimel.
Musk noted that major betting markets indicated Crawford had the better chances of winning the race, prompting the need for a significant mobilization effort.
“We will essentially canvass the state,” Musk declared. “Everyone will activate in unprecedented ways over the next 48 hours. This is crucial for the future of civilization.”
Observers agree that the outcome of this election will largely hinge on voter turnout.
Scott Pressler, affiliated with Early Vote Action, a voter mobilization organization, believes Republicans still have reasons for optimism despite the challenges.
“In-person absentee voting is already up by 200,000 compared to where we stood in 2023 at the same point,” Pressler noted to The Epoch Times on March 30 concerning the latest election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
“This data suggests that early voting aligns more favorably with the Republican Party and Brad Schimel,” Pressler added. “Typically, Republicans perform better on Election Day as well.”
Pressler projected that up to 2 million people could cast their votes in this election. In the previous election in 2024, 3.4 million Wisconsinites participated, with Trump winning the state by less than a 1 percent margin.
As of March 30, approximately 645,000 absentee ballots had been returned for the April 1 election.
Democratic-supported candidates have clinched victory in the last three Supreme Court elections in Wisconsin. Justices serve a term of ten years, and the next term to expire will belong to Chief Justice Annette Ziegler in 2027.
