Press Releases

Elon Musk & MAGA Billionaires Are Trying to Buy Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court Race–Here’s Why

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MARCH 12, 2025

PRESS CONTACT:
Tracy Adair, [email protected] 

Wisconsin voters are already receiving their mail-in ballots in a state Supreme Court race that could shape the future of voting rights in the state and the outcome of the 2026 and 2028 elections. The race is drawing unprecedented spending from out-of-state MAGA billionaires like Elon Musk and Richard Uihlein, who are pouring millions to elect Judge Brad Schimel, a right-wing extremist with a history of putting politics above justice.

Election spending is expected to exceed the $51 million spent in the last state Supreme Court race in 2023. That’s unsurprising considering the impact this year’s race could have on the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

Here’s what you need to know:

ELON MUSK AND MAGA BILLIONAIRES HAVE SET THEIR SIGHTS–AND ENORMOUS WEALTH–ON THIS RACE:

  • No longer content with amassing power in the federal government, Elon Musk is working to stack state supreme courts with MAGA allies. Groups tied to Musk have spent more than $8 million on digital advertising, printed brochures, and canvassing efforts in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Musk is currently suing Wisconsin over a state law preventing car manufacturers like Tesla from opening dealerships. If Schimel wins, Musk could get a favorable ruling from the very court he helped buy.
  • Judge Brad Schimel has already made clear he supports Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban—and he’s being backed by Richard Uihlein, one of the country’s biggest anti-abortion donors. Uihlein has given $1.3 million to elect Schimel, and his super PAC, Fair Courts America, has spent $2.4 million on TV advertising. This isn’t the first millionaire investment Uihlein has made to take away reproductive freedom. Last year, he gave $6.5 million to try to defeat a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the New York State constitution.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has shaped elections before—and will again. In 2020, it narrowly blocked Trump’s attempt to overturn the will of Wisconsin voters. Last year the court’s new progressive majority struck down the gerrymandered maps previously approved by the court’s conservative majority and restored ballot drop boxes that had been eliminated by the court’s conservative majority. With our freedoms on the line, this race will determine whether the court protects the freedom to vote or enables MAGA power grabs.

That’s why Stand Up America’s nearly two million community members have already: 

  • Signed up for hundreds of volunteer shifts 
  • Committed to send 16,000 personalized letters to educate Wisconsin voters about the stakes of the race

To speak with a Stand Up America representative about our work in Wisconsin, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected].

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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.

Website: StandUpAmerica.com
Twitter: @StandUpAmerica
Instagram: @StandUp_America
Facebook: @StandUpAmerica