Billionaire Bad Boys: Dueling Titans Steal the Show in Critical Wisconsin Race

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Whenever Republicans seek a political scapegoat, they often target wealthy progressive donors. George Soros Democrats have lately countered by introducing their own antagonist: the globe’s richest individual and a trusted advisor to President Donald Trump. Elon Musk .

Currently, the impact of wealthy individuals on political affairs is clashing during a spring electoral event that will determine whether conservatives or liberals dominate the Supreme Court in a crucial swing state for the presidency. Both Elon Musk and George Soros have invested significant funds into the contest for an available position on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which makes them prime targets. debate Between the two contenders on Wednesday.

Although the contest is technically nonpartisan, both major parties have endorsed the contenders. Republican-backed former state Attorney General Brad Schimel characterized Soros as "a dangerous individual to receive support from." Meanwhile, the benefactor has contributed $1 million to aid his rival, who is supported by the Democrats—Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford.

She countered by stating that Musk has essentially taken over Brad Schimel’s campaign. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who is now running against Trump, commented on this development. federal cost-cutting initiative Has provided financial support to two organizations that have collectively invested over $10 million in promoting Schimel.

The discussion underscored how the April 1st election, set to impact critical issues such as abortion rights, electoral laws, congressional districts, and other matters, has attracted significant attention across the nation this year due to the limited number of important contests taking place. Additionally, it revealed the intense focus on the two controversial tycoons who are playing pivotal roles. playing an outsized role In the competition, both sides aim to burden one another with political luggage.

These strategies are logical for a non-election year held in the spring when voters might not be familiar with the candidates or following politics closely, according to Matt Gorman, a Republican strategist.

You need to connect it with broader national issues," he stated. "The overarching plan is, how do you frighten your supporters so they ensure their turnout at the voting booths?

For years, Soros has faced criticism from conservatives due to his contributions to progressive prosecutors and various leftist and anti-establishment movements. On the other hand, Musk, who is relatively new to political philanthropy, has upset many progressives because of his involvement with Trump’s election campaign through his super Political Action Committee (PAC). spent about $200 million to assist in getting Trump elected — as well as his attempts to slash federal government services and staff via the newly established Department of Government Efficiency.

Soros has long been a focus for conservative critics.

For many years, the 94-year-old Hungarian-American Jewish billionaire has faced criticism from conservatives.

At the heart of their anger is the money he and associated organizations have spent to elect liberal prosecutors—officials whom Republicans claim are overly lenient when dealing with crime. Republican legislators have highlighted Soros' contributions as an issue. attempts to dismiss those prosecutors ,stating that the individuals he backs have endangered communities.

Trump has similarly employed Soros as a means to undermine the credibility of individuals and organizations he disagrees with. Recently, this tactic was utilized again. executive order intending to penalize the law firm Perkins Coie, he said The organization "has collaborated with activist contributors such as George Soros to legally challenge and potentially overturn election statutes that were widely supported, essential, and passed through democratic processes."

Attacks on Soros often drift towards antisemitic and conspiracy-related themes , with some mistakenly portraying him as backing violent protesters or having secretive family ties .

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — an ally of Trump — has amplified this stereotype by propagating the idea that Soros is secretly orchestrating schemes to undermine Hungary. The pressure from the autocratic leader triggered a university established by Soros to relocate its programs from Budapest to Vienna in 2018.

Before the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, Soros contributed $1 million to the Wisconsin Democratic Party. This mirrors his donation from earlier this year, which led Schimel and his backers to mention Soros prominently in their campaign materials and advertisements.

Susan Crawford follows directives from George Soros, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, anti-ICE sheriffs, and Defund the Police activists," Schimel's campaign posted on X earlier this month. "Whose side are you on?

Musk's increased political significance offers Democrats a counterargument.

In recent years, Musk made his mark on the political landscape by investing substantial funds to ensure Republican dominance in federal politics and in state governments where he operates businesses.

The previous year, he invested close to $300 million in Republican campaigns, as reported in Federal Election Commission documents. Most of this amount went towards supporting Trump, however, a separate political action committee he established also allocated millions for contests involving candidates running for the U.S. House.

Musk has also shown interest in state politics in Texas, having relocated several of his companies there. Shortly after this move, he became engaged in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. sued the state In a disagreement about legislation that prohibits manufacturers of vehicles from running or owning dealership operations, the issue may eventually reach the state’s highest court.

The peculiar timing, along with his open endorsement of Trump and his tumultuous actions within the federal government, makes Musk an ideal focus for critics on the left, according to Wisconsin-based Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki, who isn’t part of the campaign.

“He mentioned, ‘With a villain around, things become simpler,’ adding, ‘This isn’t just for supporters—it’s an urgent wake-up call. Crawford stands alongside us, whereas Schimel is seen as being under Elon Musk’s influence; currently, Musk is the least liked individual in America and remains constantly in the headlines.’”

Crawford has embraced the criticism, calling Musk "Elon Schimel" during the debate. She also brought up Musk's involvement with DOGE, highlighting his suggestion to dismiss public employees. assisting in combating the bird flu epidemic .

This election serves as an indicator of how voters in a crucial swing state are reacting to the initial months of the Trump presidency. It could also provide insights into their perception of Musk’s involvement in the administration.

This approach isn't devoid of risks.

Both contenders grapple with the issue of attacking one another for accepting support from well-known big-money donors, all while needing to justify having their own affluent sponsors.

Crawford aims to link Schimel closely with Trump in order to secure victory, according to Brandon Scholz, a former GOP advisor in Wisconsin who currently considers himself an independent. These associations are bolstered by Musk’s contributions, along with pamphlets circulated among voters via Musk’s America PAC, which claim that Schimel will " support President Trump’s agenda .”

More chances to demonstrate these connections may arise shortly: A town hall event scheduled for Monday, which aims to boost voter turnout for Schimel, will be jointly hosted by Donald Trump Jr., one of President Trump’s sons, along with conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Scholz mentioned that Schimel requires staunch Trump supporters to turn up at the polling stations. He referred to this as a "double-edged sword" since it implies the candidate must take a risk that could alienate certain voters.

Scholz mentioned that Soros currently doesn’t have as much name recognition as Musk. This might explain why Schimel has recently leaned more heavily on conventional conservative talking points, like asserting that his rival allows offenders to receive overly soft punishments.

In the course of the debate, he stated that he does not have authority over external contributions or the information these funds disseminate. Additionally, he mentioned that should he be appointed to the bench, he would not extend preferential treatment to either Trump or Musk. Rather, Schimel explained, his approach within the courthouse mirrors that of a baseball umpire who remains impartial and unaffiliated with any particular side.

Crawford similarly separated herself from Soros' contribution by pointing out that it went to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, which supports her. She mentioned that whereas Schimel has disclosed his stance on certain upcoming cases, she has "never made any promises," highlighting this as the key distinction.

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Swenson filed the report from New York.

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Ali Swenson and Scott Bauer from The Associated Press