ArcaMax

Don’t get me wrong. He’s not only the wealthiest man on the planet, he’s also the most obnoxious. If I had a Tesla, I would have dumped it long ago. Nonetheless, I think we owe a big thank you to South African-born, non-elected, non-confirmed, oft-married, father-many-times-over, genuine weirdo, and Shadow President Elon Musk. He made us smile again!

Democrats have been in a funk. And not only Democrats, but anybody with a soul, or any sense of what’s really important in life. Because, in the first three months of the Trump Regime, we’ve seen everything we cared about targeted and destroyed by the Trump/Musk machine.

Chainsaw in hand, Trump and Musk have moved to gut or eliminate everything that once seemed worthwhile: the Department of Education; the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau; researchers and scientists at the National Institutes of Health; doctors and health care providers in the Veterans Administration; the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, the most important source of aid for the poorest people on the planet; and FEMA, the most important source of relief for Americans wiped out by tornadoes, hurricanes or wildfire.

Not only that, Trump and Musk have also moved to shut down our legendary cultural institutions. Musk has ordered an 80 percent reduction in staff of the National Endowment for the Humanities, created by Congress in 1965 and supported by every president since. Meanwhile, Trump’s taken over the Kennedy Center. He’s shut down the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which provides funding for libraries and museums in every state of the union. He put JD Vance in charge of totally revamping the Smithsonian Institution. He’s demanded that slavery be portrayed more positively in the National Museum of African American History and Culture. And he’s even announced plans to remake the National Zoo. Because, apparently, the pandas are too “woke.”

Now add to those senseless, unnecessary and painful cuts Trump’s bloated tariffs, which amount to the largest sales tax in history, and it’s easy to see why kindred souls have been so downhearted. There’s much to weep about and nothing to cheer about. Until this week! But now, thanks to Elon Musk, we all have something to cheer about: Wisconsin!

In a stunning setback for Trump and Musk, Wisconsin voters, by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin, chose progressive judge Susan Crawford as the next justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court over Trump and Musk’s right-wing candidate Brad Schimel. This was much more than a statewide judicial contest. It was an election of huge national importance.

First, be cause it was the most expensive judicial campaign ever, with almost $100 million spent by both parties in what is, traditionally, a nonpartisan race. Second, because so many critical issues, including abortion and gerrymandering, are before the court. But, third, and most importantly, because Elon Musk made this a referendum on himself – and on the first three months of the Trump Regime. In a sign of what lies ahead for Republicans in 2026, Wisconsin voters soundly rejected both.

Despite a glaring conflict of interest – one issue before the Supreme Court is Musk’s challenge to a Wisconsin law requiring car manufacturers to sell cars through local car dealers, and not directly to customers – Musk made this race his top priority. He gave Schimel a $21 million campaign donation. He offered $20 to anyone who volunteered to knock on doors, and $100 to anyone who signed a petition against “activist judges.” He paid three individuals $1 million each, just for voting for Schimel.

Then he went to Wisconsin, doffed a cheesehead, personally handed out his checks and told a crowd of adoring MAGA supporters that this judicial election would “affect the entire destiny of humanity.” Not only that, in pure Trumpian fashion he claimed that Schimel’s loss would – wait for it! – mark “the end of Western civilization” as we know it. All because Tesla would have to sell cars in local dealerships. Please!

Musk spent more than $21 million trying to buy a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. But Wisconsin voters weren’t buying it. They said loud and clear: “Wisconsin’s not for sale.”

Coming on top of winning two special legislative elections in Iowa and Pennsylvania, defeating four Republican-sponsored initiatives in Louisiana, a bold, history-making Senate speech by Cory Booker, and a triumphant victory in Wisconsin, Democrats suddenly have more bounce in their step.

And they may have found their silver bullet for 2026. As Pod Save America’s Jon Favreau quipped, “Please send Elon Musk to all the close races!”

========

(Bill Press is host of The BillPressPod, and author of 10 books, including: “From the Left: My Life in the Crossfire.” His email address is: bill@billpress.com. Readers may also follow him on Twitter @billpresspod and on BlueSky @BillPress.bsky.social.)

©2025 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.