Elon Musk is pouring money into key elections across the country in support of Republican and conservative candidates, while at the same time complaining about the influence of fellow billionaire George Soros.
Musk and political action committees he funds have spent more than $20 million to help elect a conservative judge to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in a crucial contest on Tuesday that will decide the balance of a court that will rule on key issues in the battleground state.
The world’s richest man is also spending tens of thousands to help two Florida Republicans in House special elections also taking place on Tuesday — all of this after he donated more than $290 million to Republican candidates in the 2024 election cycle.
Speaking at a town hall event he organized in Green Bay on Sunday evening in support of the conservative candidate Brad Schimel, where he handed out $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters who signed a petition, Musk revived a long-running and one-way feud with Soros after he was heckled by someone in the crowd.
“It was inevitable that at least a few Soros operatives would be in the audience…give my regards to George!” Musk said in response to the hecklers, repeating a common conspiracy theory that Soros pays protesters.
Musk has repeatedly attacked the 94-year-old philanthropist and Democratic donor over the years for his support of liberal causes, claiming that he “fundamentally hates humanity” and accusing his family of being puppeteers of elected Democratic officials for their contributions to the party.
But Musk’s financial involvement in politics has now easily surpassed that of Soros. The Tesla CEO has taken on a role in American political life that arguably eclipses that of any billionaire in the modern era.
Musk donated more than $291 million to Republican candidates in the 2024 election cycle, by far the highest single contributor. He also played a key role on the campaign trail in support of Donald Trump, appearing at his rallies and holding his own political events.
Following the election, Musk was appointed as a “special adviser” by President Trump, who gave him unprecedented access to government data to carry out his mission of cutting government spending in a manner that some judges have called unconstitutional. Musk now regularly appears at cabinet meetings and holds sway over government departments that regulate his businesses.
Now, he is simultaneously using his immense wealth to tip elections in the Republican Party’s favor.
In addition to pumping millions into the Wisconsin race, Musk’s political action committee, America PAC, is donating to two GOP candidates running for Congress in Florida to help the Republican Party keep its slim majority in the House.
Musk’s America PAC has donated $20,000 for “texting services” to boost Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis in the 1st Congressional District and state Senator Randy Fine in the 6th District, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission last week.
Musk’s primary focus in recent weeks, however, has been Wisconsin. The Supreme Court race in the state has become the most expensive judicial election in American history. More than $90 million has already been spent on the race, according to the Brennan Center, and some expect the total amount to reach $100 million by election day on Tuesday.
The election pits former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel against Susan Crawford, a former prosecutor and current circuit court judge.
Crawford has received support from billionaires of her own. George Soros has given a reported $2 million to the state Democratic Party, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, another billionaire, gave $1.5 million. She also received a large donation of $6 million from A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund, a union-backed group.
But Musk has earned attention for the scale and unusual methods of his financial support.
America PAC and Building America’s Future, two political action committees funded largely by Musk, have disclosed some $17 million in spending as of March 25, in addition to $3 million Musk has personally donated to Wisconsin’s Republican Party this year.
Common Cause, a non-partisan election integrity group, has repeatedly criticized Musk’s outsized role in the race.
“By pouring millions into this election, Musk has a chance to boost his business and expand his political power, shaping the courts and state governments to serve his own interests, at the expense of Wisconsinites and the American people at large,” the group said.
Musk did not respond to a request for comment.
The Open Society Foundations, the philanthropic network founded by Soros, said in a statement to The Independent that it “does not pay protesters.”
“We never, and will never, coordinate, train, or strategize with protest organizers or participants.”
In the final stretch of the election, Musk has gotten even more creative with his donations. His America PAC started offering $100 to any Wisconsin voter who signs a petition against so-called “activist judges.”
At his town hall on Sunday evening, in a move he had publicized in the days prior, Musk handed out two $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters who had signed the same petition.
In an ironic twist, the Wisconsin Supreme Court at the center of the election, which currently has a liberal majority, rejected an emergency motion to block the giveaways.
Musk’s lawyers said the checks were “intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate.”
At the same event, Musk told attendees at his town hall that they could earn $20 by signing up at America PAC’s website to be a “block captain” to help with canvassing for Judge Schimel.
The election will decide the ideological makeup of a court that will decide on key issues such as redistricting, voting access, and abortion in the key swing state.
Speaking on stage on Sunday evening, Musk — who appeared earlier wearing a hat in the shape of a block of cheese in a nod to Wisconsin’s dairy industry — said the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“I think this will be important for the future of civilization. It’s that significant,” he said.
