MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump is calling on his supporters to vote for a candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court who already had the full-throated backing of Trump’s billionaire adviser Elon Musk.
“All Voters who believe in Common Sense should GET OUT TO VOTE EARLY for Brad Schimel,” Trump wrote late Friday on his Truth Social platform.
Trump’s post came a little over a week before the April 1 election that will determine control of the court, which since 2023 has a majority of liberal justices. Schimel, a former Republican attorney general, has benefited from more than $12 million spent by groups funded by Musk.
One group, America PAC, offers voters $100 in exchange for signing an online petition opposing “activist judges.”
WisPolitics reports that signers are required to provide their name, email address, phone number and home address and consent to receive calls and text messages. Those who refer someone else to sign the petition can receive another $100.
The offer closes at 11:59 p.m. April 1, election day for Schimel and Democratic-backed Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.
Crawford’s campaign accuses Musk of trying to buy votes.