Please support PoliticusUSA by becoming a subscriber.
Elon Musk spent $20-$25 million in Wisconsin on the state’s supreme court election. Musk clearly believed that he had unlocked the cheat code for winning elections. One of the world’s richest men thought that he could flood the state with money, hold an illegal lottery, and show up for a rally, which would equal Republican victory.
In Wisconsin, Republicans nationalized the Supreme Court election, and it backfired on them.
Everyone will try to project what the Wisconsin Democratic win will mean for 2026, but at a more fundamental level, the message was that this nation does not belong to the billionaires. Democracy does not belong to the billionaires. Democracy can’t be bought. It doesn’t matter how much money Elon Musk throws around or pretends to give away with fake lotteries. The American people aren’t for sale.
Donald Trump and the Republican Party believed that Elon Musk was their hero and would use all of his money to keep them in power.
Even Elon Musk doesn’t have enough money to fund every single congressional election in 2026.
After the 2024 election, many Americans were demoralized. They asked how they could fight back when Trump was in power with immunity, Republicans controlled the entire federal government, and the world’s richest men had Trump’s back?
The answer came tonight in Florida and Wisconsin.
The American people fight back with their votes. Dollars can’t beat people who show up to vote.
Video of Susan Crawford’s victory speech:
