Musk offers $1mn prizes for two Wisconsin voters to boost GOP
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The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said on that he would "hand over checks for a million dollars" to two voters in Wisconsin's upcoming Supreme Court vote.
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Elon Musk attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, on Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP)
Billionaire entrepreneur and Trump ally Elon Musk announced on Friday that he would award $1 million to two voters in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race, marking his latest effort to influence key US elections.
Musk, the world's richest person and a top advisor to President Donald Trump, has already spent millions to support Republican candidate Brad Schimel. If elected, Schimel would shift the crucial swing state's top court to a conservative majority.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO made the announcement on X, the social media platform he owns, stating that he would "hand over checks for a million dollars" to two individuals who sign a petition opposing what he called "activist judges."
"Activist judges" is a term used by Republicans to describe judges who rule against Trump-backed policies. Additionally, Musk has pledged $100 to anyone who signs the petition.
High stakes race
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is set to rule on critical national issues in its upcoming term, including abortion access and voting regulations for the 2026 midterm elections.
Schimel has received strong backing from Trump, who emphasized the importance of the race on his Truth Social platform, calling it "really big and important."
Musk's cash prize offer follows a pattern from the presidential elections, where he used financial incentives to rally support in key battleground states.
His growing political involvement has coincided with lucrative government contracts for his companies and an expanded advisory role in the Trump administration, particularly in budget-cutting initiatives.
Moreover, Musk’s involvement in Wisconsin politics comes amid a legal dispute between Tesla and the state.
In January, Tesla sued Wisconsin over its denial of dealer licenses, a move that has drawn additional scrutiny as the company faces declining stock prices and consumer backlash against Musk’s political interventions.
Hundreds of millions for Trump
Musk emerged as the largest political donor of the 2024 election cycle, contributing at least $288 million to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, The Washington Post reported in Ferbruary based on new Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.
Following Trump’s victory, he appointed Musk to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, designed to reduce federal spending and regulations.
The Washington Post noted that Musk’s massive financial contributions solidified his influence within Trump’s political network, with some critics referring to him as an “unelected co-president.”
Much of Musk’s political donations were funneled through the America PAC, a super PAC he co-founded to boost Trump’s campaign by engaging low-turnout voters in key battleground states.
The PAC raised $263 million, with backing not only from Musk but also from his close associates, including Tesla board member Antonio Gracias, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and Sequoia Capital investor Shaun Maguire.
The report, which covered a timeframe starting November 26 to December 31, found that Musk, on the last day of the year alone, contributed $11.2 million worth of what is described as "petition incentives".
