Editorial: Musk’s Billionaire Coup in Wisconsin Just Went Up in Flames

Before midnight in the East, the nation is breathing a sigh of relief.

Elon Musk has spectacularly failed to purchase a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court—despite throwing an unfathomable sum of money at the race, in what was billed as the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history.

This is a massive victory for democracy and a devastating blow to the rising tide of authoritarianism that Musk and his allies—chief among them, Donald Trump—have worked so tirelessly to advance. But make no mistake: this is not the end of their efforts. It is a warning shot.

Musk’s foray into Wisconsin’s judicial battle was as brazen as it was dangerous. Using his vast wealth, he attempted to tip the scales of justice in his favor, backing a candidate who would all but guarantee a hard-right majority willing to rubber-stamp extreme policies and gut basic rights. If successful, it would have paved the way for radical decisions on issues ranging from reproductive rights to election integrity, turning the state’s highest court into yet another tool for right-wing power consolidation.

Instead, Wisconsinites resoundingly rejected him.

The voters of Wisconsin—who have seen their state turned into a battleground for democracy itself—delivered a clear message: elections, even judicial ones, are not for sale. Musk’s billionaire-fueled campaign was met with an unshakable wall of resistance from those who refuse to let America’s justice system be dictated by a man who views democracy as an obstacle to be overcome rather than a principle to be upheld.

This victory is worth celebrating. But it also carries a stark warning: Musk and his ilk are not going to stop. If anything, this defeat will push them to be even more cunning in their next attempt to buy power. The ultra-wealthy have long seen elections as investments, but Musk’s direct involvement in a judicial race is a chilling escalation—one that reveals just how high the stakes have become.

It is no longer just Congress or the presidency that plutocrats seek to capture; they are going after the courts, the institutions designed to check their power. The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is just the latest example of how the billionaire class is willing to bankroll extremist candidates to cement their influence over the country’s legal system. They know that an independent judiciary stands in the way of their agenda, and they will keep trying to break it.

The lesson here is simple: vigilance is non-negotiable. If we want to keep the American experiment alive, we must meet these threats head-on—organizing, outvoting, and outlasting those who believe their money should count for more than our ballots. Wisconsin proved that people power can beat billionaire interference, but it was not an easy fight. The next battle will be harder, and the price of complacency is too high to ignore.

Musk may have failed this time, but his ambitions remain unchecked. He is one of many oligarchs who believe their wealth entitles them to shape the nation in their image. We cannot let them. The fight for democracy is far from over—it has only just begun.