‘Bad for elections’: White House re-evaluates Elon Musk’s involvement after crushing loss in Wisconsin

Last night saw the people of Wisconsin show up to vote for who would be replacing retiring Supreme Court Justice, Ann Walsh Bradley. Despite a relentless effort on Elon Musk’s part to try and sway the former blue wall state, his involvement seemingly did little to change the outcome — in fact it may have had the opposite effect.

Musk was heavily involved in the Wisconsin campaign allegedly spending more than $15 million (although some estimates put it as high as $25 million) of his own funds on Republican backed candidate Brad Schimel. While a lot of that money went directly to Schimel’s campaign, Musk also offered voters $100 to sign a petition calling on the people to reject what he called “activist judges,” he encouraged participants to become campaign captains with a $20 incentive offered to those who could get others to sign. Musk also offered three participants checks with $1 million.

The billionaire emphasized the importance of the upcoming election, claiming that it “might decide the future of America and western civilization,” reports The Guardian.

Elon Musk’s involvement may have had the opposite effect for Republicans

While Brad Schimel no doubt welcomed the support of the world’s richest man, in reality, it may not have been so beneficial to his chances of winning. His involvement gave Democrats the opportunity to energize voters and rally the people in their universal dislike of Musk — Speaking after the results of the election determined her as the winner, Susan Crawford, the Democrat backed candidate, said: “I never thought I would be taking on the richest man in the world for justice.”

Meanwhile, the White House may be re-examining Elon Musk’s involvement in future political battles, especially with regards to the 2026 midterms which will see Republicans defending a slim House majority. Speaking to NBC News, A Republican operative who advised Musk on the Wisconsin race claimed that “Elon is great for Trump because he’s a shield,” but added that the billionaire attracts too much heat and is “bad for elections, because he energizes the Democrats.”

A poll from NBC News also found the majority of voters dislike Elon Musk with 51% holding negative views of him against 39% who felt more positive about the billionaire.

The Wisconsin results could spell future trouble for Republicans

While the Trump administration brushed off the results, claiming it was “an off-year race and predictive of nothing,” others are not so sure. Many believe the results in Wisconsin last night may have much more far-reaching implications. The voter turnout was roughly the same as the turnout for the 2022 midterms. The vote could also be seen as an indicator of the current approval of the Trump administration and Elon Musk — if that’s the case, it would suggest that they’re not very popular.