By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X (formerly Twitter), is reportedly pouring money into a campaign to unseat Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz. According to a New Yorker investigation, the move appears to be part of a broader effort by conservative interests to tilt the ideological balance of key state courts ahead of the 2024 election. Wisconsin’s Supreme Court currently holds a 4-3 liberal majority. That balance could be jeopardized if Musk-backed operatives succeed in their push. Last year, Protasiewicz won her seat in a nationally watched race that saw record spending and turnout. Her win flipped the court’s ideological control after 15 years of conservative dominance.
Musk and others appear to be focused on redistricting. Soon after taking the bench, Protasiewicz and her liberal colleagues struck down the state’s heavily gerrymandered legislative maps. In response, Republican lawmakers began threatening to impeach her despite her decisive win by 11 percentage points. The New Yorker revealed that Musk is backing a coalition of far-right influencers and activists who aim to sway future Wisconsin elections by influencing the state’s high court. One such figure is Christopher Rufo, a conservative activist known for his crusade against diversity and inclusion programs. Rufo is reportedly working with others to develop a long-term plan to shape judicial outcomes in key battleground states. Though rarely stated outright, race may also be a motivating factor in these efforts. Several of the groups and individuals involved have targeted racial justice programs, equity initiatives, and policies that benefit Black communities. The push to dismantle DEI, undermine affirmative action, and redraw voting districts has consistently resulted in reduced political power for communities of color.
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court plays an outsized role in determining voting laws, redistricting, and potentially election outcomes. With a deadlocked state government, the court often serves as the final arbiter on matters like ballot access and election certification—raising concerns about outside influence. Rufo’s connection to Musk traces back to their shared presence on X, where they have frequently interacted. Musk has elevated Rufo’s posts and promoted his messaging, even while denying direct coordination. However, internal communications obtained by The New Yorker show a clearer pattern of collaboration, including a Musk-funded initiative to provide financial backing for Wisconsin-based conservative judicial campaigns. In a state where razor-thin margins decide presidential races, the makeup of the court could have major implications for the 2024 election. Wisconsin was one of the decisive states in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential contests.
The latest effort to shift the court’s composition highlights how billionaires and political operatives are focusing on once-relatively obscure judicial races. These races are now considered critical battlegrounds in national power struggles over voting rights, gerrymandering, and democracy itself. As Protasiewicz told The New Yorker, “The voters elected me. They knew exactly who I was. And they made their choice.”
