
Musk to go to Wisconsin ahead of judicial race, hand out $1M checks
Published UpdatedBy Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)
- Elon Musk said he plans to hand out two $1 million checks to voters in Wisconsin. In a now deleted post to X, he said he planned to visit Wisconsin, ahead of the state’s high-stakes Supreme Court race.
- Musk’s political action committee has already spent over $20 million to support conservative candidate Brad Schimel, who aims to regain control of the state’s Supreme Court after a 2023 victory by a more liberal judge.
- The billionaire’s recent actions, including offering money to voters and signing petitions, have drawn criticism, with opponents accusing him of attempting to buy votes and engaging in corrupt practices.
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Elon Musk said he plans to hand out a pair of $1 million checks to voters during a planned visit to Wisconsin, the weekend of March 28, ahead of the state’s high-stakes Supreme Court race.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Elon Musk announced a $1 million payment to a Wisconsin voter just days before a significant Supreme Court election, which could change the court's political balance.
- The upcoming election aims to fill a seat held by a liberal justice, determining if the court will maintain a 4-3 liberal majority.
- Musk's political action committee has offered similar winnings in past elections, raising questions about the legality of incentivizing voter participation.
- Critics, including Susan Crawford's campaign, condemned Musk's payment as an attempt to buy influence, undermining judicial integrity in the state.
- No summary available because of a lack of coverage.
- Elon Musk has contributed over $14 million to support Brad Schimel's campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, making him the most significant donor in the race.
- Donald Trump endorsed Brad Schimel, stating he will uphold the rule of law and protect constitutional rights.
- The Wisconsin Supreme Court race has attracted over $73 million in funding, with significant implications for state issues like abortion rights and voter access.
- A win for Susan Crawford in the election on April 1 could remove two GOP congressional districts, affecting the 2026 midterms.
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In a now-deleted post to X on Thursday, March 27, Musk mentioned the giveaway.
“On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin,” Musk stated. “Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election. I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote. This is super important.”

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As of Friday, March 28, the post was no longer on Musk’s X account, and it’s unclear if his plans to go to Wisconsin or hand out the money have changed.
The trip would increase his involvement in the judicial contest after he and his political action committee spent more than $20 million on it. The group is trying to elect conservative candidate Judge Brad Schimel who is taking on liberal candidate Judge Susan Crawford.
The Tuesday, April 1 election could swing control of the state’s highest court back to conservatives after liberals won a significant victory in 2023.
Did Musk already give $1 million to a Wisconsin voter?
The Thursday announcement on X, came after Musk announced Wednesday, March 26, that he gave another $1 million prize to a Green Bay man, Scott Ainsworth, who signed his petition opposing what he described as “activist judges.”
Congratulations, Scott Ainsworth of Green Bay! https://t.co/usbPk0Js0K
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 28, 2025
“Everyone should do what I did,” Ainsworth said in a video posted to the America PAC X account. “Sign the petition, refer your friends, get out and vote early for Brad Schimmel.”
Scott Ainsworth from Green Bay, WI became a $1 Million spokesperson for signing our Petition In Opposition To Activist Judges.
— America (@america) March 28, 2025
“Everyone should do what I did; Sign the petition, refer your friends, get out and vote early for Brad Schimel”
SIGN: https://t.co/TMeyWUhbrH pic.twitter.com/2wjDGheHXJ
The petition reads: “Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas.”
During the week of March 16, Musk’s committee offered Wisconsin voters $100 to anyone who signed the petition.
What is Schimel’s opponent saying?
Crawford’s team accused Musk of trying to buy votes, calling it “corrupt, extreme and disgraceful.”
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The legality of offering voters money came up during the November 2024 election when Musk’s committee awarded $1 million each day to one swing state voter who had signed a pro-Trump petition.
The Philadelphia district attorney sued, but the day before election day, a Pennsylvania judge declined to stop the sweepstakes.
This story has been updated with information regarding Musk’s deletion of his original X post from Thursday, March 27.
[Karah Rucker]
ELON MUSK SAYS HE PLANS TO HAND OUT A PAIR OF ONE MILLION DOLLAR CHECKS TO VOTERS WHEN HE’S IN WISCONSIN THIS WEEKEND CAMPAIGNING AHEAD OF THE STATE’S HIGH-STAKES SUPREME COURT RACE.
THE PLANNED TRIP STEPS UP HIS INVOLVEMENT AFTER HE AND HIS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, AMERICA FIRST, SPENT MORE THAN 20-MILLION DOLLARS ON THE CONTEST TRYING TO ELECT CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE JUDGE BRAD SCHIMEL WHO’S TAKING ON LIBERAL CANDIDATE JUDGE SUSAN CRAWFORD.
TUESDAY’S ELECTION COULD SWING CONTROL OF THE STATE’S HIGHEST COURT BACK TO CONSERVATIVES AFTER LIBERALS WON A MAJOR VICTORY THERE IN 20-23.
MUSK POSTED TO X THURSDAY SAYING …
“ON SUNDAY NIGHT, I WILL GIVE A TALK IN WISCONSIN.
ENTRANCE IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE VOTED IN THE SUPREME COURT ELECTION.
I WILL ALSO PERSONALLY HAND OVER TWO CHECKS FOR A MILLION DOLLARS EACH IN APPRECIATION FOR YOU TAKING THE TIME TO VOTE.
THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT.”
THIS COMES AFTER MUSK ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY HE GAVE ANOTHER ONE MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE TO A GREEN BAY MAN WHO SIGNED HIS PETITION OPPOSING WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS “ACTIVIST JUDGES.”
everyone should do what I did.. Sign the petition refer your friends … get out and voter early for brad schimmel
elon thank you
THE PETITION READS: “JUDGES SHOULD INTERPRET LAWS AS WRITTEN, NOT REWRITE THEM TO FIT THEIR PERSONAL OR POLITICAL AGENDAS.”
LAST WEEK, MUSK’S COMMITTEE OFFERED WISCONSIN VOTERS 100 DOLLARS TO ANYONE WHO SIGNED THE PETITION.
CRAWFORD’S TEAM ACCUSES MUSK OF TRYING TO BUY VOTES CALLING IT “CORRUPT, EXTREME, AND DISGRACEFUL.”
THE LEGALITY OF OFFERING VOTERS MONEY CAME UP DURING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WHEN MUSK’S COMMITTEE AWARDED ONE MILLION DOLLARS EACH DAY TO ONE SWING STATE VOTER WHO HAD SIGNED A PRO-TRUMP PETITION.
THE PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY SUED, BUT THE DAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY, A PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE DECLINED TO STOP THE SWEEPSTAKES.
FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Elon Musk announced a $1 million payment to a Wisconsin voter just days before a significant Supreme Court election, which could change the court's political balance.
- The upcoming election aims to fill a seat held by a liberal justice, determining if the court will maintain a 4-3 liberal majority.
- Musk's political action committee has offered similar winnings in past elections, raising questions about the legality of incentivizing voter participation.
- Critics, including Susan Crawford's campaign, condemned Musk's payment as an attempt to buy influence, undermining judicial integrity in the state.
- No summary available because of a lack of coverage.
- Elon Musk has contributed over $14 million to support Brad Schimel's campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, making him the most significant donor in the race.
- Donald Trump endorsed Brad Schimel, stating he will uphold the rule of law and protect constitutional rights.
- The Wisconsin Supreme Court race has attracted over $73 million in funding, with significant implications for state issues like abortion rights and voter access.
- A win for Susan Crawford in the election on April 1 could remove two GOP congressional districts, affecting the 2026 midterms.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
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