Billionaire Elon Musk has announced plans to hold a rally in Wisconsin, where he intends to personally present $2 million to two voters who have already cast their ballots in the state’s highly contested Supreme Court race. This announcement comes despite a state law that prohibits offering anything of value in exchange for voting.
Musk shared the news late Thursday on his social media platform, X, stating that he will give $1 million to each of the two voters at an event scheduled for Sunday, just two days before the election that will decide the ideological direction of the court.
The event will be open only to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election, Musk said, though he did not explain how he would verify voters’ participation.
“I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote,” Musk wrote in his post. “This is super important.”
Musk did not reveal how the two voters were selected.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race has set new spending records for a U.S. judicial election and has turned into a significant contest with broader political implications, reflecting on Musk as well as the early months of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump, a Republican, has backed Brad Schimel and held a telephone town hall with him on Thursday night.
“It’s a very important race,” Trump said during a brief phone call organized by Schimel’s campaign. “I know you think it’s just local, but it’s much bigger than that. The whole country is watching.”
Schimel, a judge from Waukesha County, is up against Dane County Judge Susan Crawford in Tuesday’s election. Crawford is supported by a broad coalition of Democrats, including the liberal justices who currently hold a 4-3 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as well as former President Barack Obama. The upcoming retirement of a liberal justice makes control of the court up for grabs.
Earlier this week, Musk revealed that he had given $1 million to a voter in Green Bay for signing a petition created by his political action committee, which targets activist judges. Andrew Romeo, a spokesperson for Musk’s PAC, declined to confirm whether that voter would be one of the two recipients of $1 million at Musk’s event on Sunday.
Musk offered $100 to any registered Wisconsin voter who either signed or forwarded a petition created by his political action committee. This raised concerns about whether the petition violated Wisconsin law, which makes it a felony to offer, give, or promise anything of value in exchange for a vote.
Any legal challenges regarding Musk’s payments could potentially be brought before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Schimel’s campaign spokesperson did not respond immediately to an inquiry on Friday about whether Schimel would attend the event with Musk.
Schimel, a former attorney general, was asked about the petition on Thursday by WISN-TV. He said, “I honestly thought, ‘Should I sign that petition? I’m against activist judges, but I don’t think I should do that.'”
When questioned about the $1 million award, Schimel added, “I don’t know what the criteria were to receive it.”
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, did not reply to messages on Thursday or Friday regarding Musk’s financial incentives.
Crawford’s campaign spokesperson, Derrick Honeyman, criticized Musk’s visit to Wisconsin, calling it a “last-minute desperate distraction.” He added, “Wisconsinites don’t want a billionaire like Musk telling them who to vote for, and voters should reject Musk’s ally, Brad Schimel, on Tuesday.”
Musk’s political action committee had previously used a similar strategy during the 2020 presidential election, offering $1 million a day to voters in Wisconsin and six other swing states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments.
In that election, Philadelphia’s district attorney filed a lawsuit to stop the payments under Pennsylvania law. However, a judge ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the effort was an illegal lottery, allowing the initiative to continue through Election Day.
Musk and his associated groups have already invested over $20 million to support Schimel’s campaign, while billionaire George Soros has contributed $2 million to support Crawford. Additionally, Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has donated $1.5 million to Crawford’s campaign.
Musk became involved in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race shortly after his company, Tesla, filed a lawsuit against the state, seeking to open dealerships there. Crawford and her supporters have accused Musk of attempting to influence the court, as Tesla’s lawsuit could ultimately be reviewed by the justices.
The race has gained added significance due to several key issues that the Wisconsin Supreme Court is expected to rule on, including abortion rights, congressional redistricting, union power, and voting rules—issues that could have implications for the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race.
Wisconsin is a crucial battleground state, which has only increased the focus on judicial races that will determine voting laws. Trump won the state in 2016 and 2020 by narrow margins, and five of the last seven presidential elections in Wisconsin were decided by less than one percentage point.
So far, more than $81 million has been spent on the Supreme Court race, far surpassing the previous record of $51 million set in Wisconsin two years ago, according to the Brennan Center.
