(NewsNation) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is shaping up to be the most expensive judicial race in history and it could have ripple effects nationwide.
The race is officially nonpartisan, but endorsements and funds from outside the state have pulled politics into the fray, with Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama offering endorsements and billionaires including Elon Musk, George Soros and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker donating to campaigns.
Wisconsin voters have been bombarded with attack ads. One mailer read, “Susan Crawford will destroy gun rights in Wisconsin.” Another claimed, “Elon Musk thinks Wisconsin Supreme Court is for sale.”
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Americans across the country could feel the ripple effects from whoever wins the race, and it could also have major impacts for both political parties.
Tens of millions of dollars have been funneled into the race. Musk and super PACs associated with him donated more than $17 million to support Brad Schimel, while Susan Crawford has megadonors that include Soros and Pritzker.
NewsNation asked both candidates about the outside influences in the race.
“Well, let me just clarify that the big difference is that Elon Musk has himself put over $18 million into this race,” Crawford said. “That is absolutely unprecedented.”
“I’m running to be a justice for Wisconsin, I’m not running for anything else,” Schimel said. “I don’t control what Elon Musk or anybody else does with their money or their organizations. My opponent, she’s raised $25 million. most of that from outside the state of Wisconsin.”
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Schimel’s own war chest has raised in excess of $46 million, including contributions from Musk.
Beyond campaign contributions, the bigger picture is how the judge’s future rulings could impact Wisconsin and then how that could shape a larger national trajectory.
Abortion and union organizing are already on the docket for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and so is the potential redistricting of the state’s maps. The winner of this race could way the court to order the redrawing of Congressional districts.
That could shift the balance of power on Capitol Hill.
With Trump and Musk throwing their weight behind Schimel, it could also show how their support could shape future elections.
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The state is already a bellwether for the nation, having correctly picked the president for the past five general elections.
How this race shapes up could influence other races, with Democrats putting out attack ads against Musk. That could be a strategy used in other races if it succeeds.
