Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur best known for his ventures in space and electric cars, is making headlines once again—but this time, it’s for his significant political influence. A recent Washington Post-Ipsos opinion poll reveals a divided public opinion on Musk’s handling of his role, with 34% approving, 49% disapproving, and 14% unsure. His political maneuvers, particularly his financial support for Republican campaigns, have sparked heated discussions about the impact of wealth in politics.
Musk has reportedly spent nearly $300 million supporting Republican campaigns, as disclosed by Federal Election Commission filings. This includes $1 million to a tort reform group and $2 million to a political action committee backing Republican judges in state legislative races. Additionally, Musk has backed Germany's far-right AfD party and has urged Nigel Farage to step down as leader of Britain's Reform UK party. His actions have raised questions about his motivations and the extent of his influence.
In Wisconsin, Musk's involvement is particularly noteworthy. He has funded Building America's Future, a group spending $1.6 million on TV ads against Susan Crawford, a Dane County circuit judge. With a lawsuit pending in Wisconsin challenging the state's decision to block Tesla from opening dealerships, Musk's financial clout could sway the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 1.
Larry Jacobs commented on Musk's influence:
“You’ve got money and power in one person who’s been given access to the upper echelon of the federal government. He’s fused the power of the Oval Office with his almost unlimited amount of money to support Republicans, both at the state level and national level.” – Larry Jacobs
Charlie Sykes further elaborated on the potential consequences of Musk's involvement in politics:
“Elon Musk’s money is the bullets in the chamber aimed at wavering Republicans: ‘You don’t support us, Elon Musk will come into your state or your district [and] he will spend more money than God has to defeat you in a primary.’” – Charlie Sykes
While Sykes acknowledges Musk as a force multiplier for the right wing, he also points out the complexities of Musk's relationship with Donald Trump:
“He’s signalling that, at least for now, he’s going to be Trump’s enforcer and he’s going to be the force multiplier for the right wing. But as he does so, he’s also establishing himself as an independent force. The dilemma for Trump is that Musk is useful until he’s not but he’s not easy to get rid of.” – Charlie Sykes
Musk's actions in Wisconsin are seen as an attempt to influence the judicial system. Ben Wikler expressed concerns about Musk's broader ambitions:
“There’s been a question about whether Musk would follow Trump in only caring about elections when Trump is on the ballot. The answer is now clearly no. Musk wants control over every level of government at the same time as he takes control of people’s personal tax information and treasury payments that keep childcare centres open in Wisconsin,” – Ben Wikler
Furthermore, Wikler criticized Musk's approach to reshaping justice in favor of personal gain:
“Musk is trying to execute a uniquely and profoundly grotesque perversion of justice by buying the court system while defying the constitution in order to rip off the poor and the middle class to enrich himself.” – Ben Wikler
Susan Crawford also voiced her concerns regarding Musk's intentions:
“Elon Musk is trying to buy a seat on our supreme court so Brad Schimel can rubber-stamp his extreme agenda.” – Crawford
On the other hand, Brad Schimel, the Republican candidate, denied any collaboration with Musk:
“I don’t have any agenda that I’m working alongside anyone. I’m grateful for our supporters, but they’re getting nothing except me following the law.” – Brad Schimel
Musk himself has weighed in on the election:
“Very important to vote Republican for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent voting fraud!” – Elon Musk
The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election is poised to be a crucial test of how financial influence can shape political outcomes. With Brad Schimel not committing to stepping aside in the election, observers are keenly watching whether Musk's financial backing will indeed tilt the scales in favor of the Republican candidate.