This is an adapted excerpt from the March 15 episode of “Ayman.”

It appears that for Elon Musk, being Donald Trump’s co-president and overseeing the gutting of the federal workforce just isn’t enough. After helping fund Trump’s campaign and working to influence elections in Europe, Musk is throwing his cash at Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race.

In January, in a post on his social media site, the billionaire said, “Very important to vote Republican for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent voting fraud!” Now, there’s no basis for alleging fraud in Wisconsin’s elections, but it’s clear Musk is doing all he can to ensure another Republican gets on the state’s bench. Two groups backed by Musk, Building America’s Future and America PAC, have spent more than $11 million in ads attacking progressive judge and candidate Susan Crawford. A third Musk-backed group, dubbed Progress 2028, is running ads that claim to support Crawford but really appear aimed at dissuading moderate voters against her progressive agenda.

Supreme Court races in Wisconsin are officially nonpartisan but Musk has thrown his support behind Trump-aligned candidate Brad Schimel. The conservative has embraced the president’s election denialism, claimed Jan. 6 insurrectionists didn’t receive fair trials, and attended Trump’s inauguration. He’s also said he would welcome Trump’s endorsement. Schimel even reportedly dressed as Trump for Halloween. 

During last week’s first and only debate between the two candidates, Schimel was asked about the money Musk is dumping into the election and whether he “embraced” the endorsement of the billionaire. “I got in this race over 15 months ago,” Schimel said. “I’ve campaigned in all 72 counties. I’ve gone to every corner of this state. I’m looking for the endorsement of the Wisconsin voters on April 1. Outside help that comes is not something that I control.” Schimel then went on to call out liberal billionaire, and one of the GOP’s top boogeymen, George Soros, for contributing to the race.

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“I have had generous contributions that have gone to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has endorsed me and supported my candidacy,” Crawford responded before changing to subject to Musk. “But let’s talk about Elon Musk, talk about somebody who’s been dangerous … He has now spent more than $10 million on my opponent’s race. He has basically taken over Brad Schimel’s campaign.”Now, you may be asking yourself: Why would a billionaire like Musk even care about this state race? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Telsa, Musk’s company, is currently suing the state of Wisconsin over a decision preventing the company from opening dealerships in the state. 

Last year, the state denied Tesla’s request for dealer licenses, saying it did not qualify for an exemption to a state law that prohibits manufacturers from owning dealerships. It’s a case that could eventually head to the state’s Supreme Court. 

This race is also big for the future of Wisconsin. You might remember in 2023 when liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz made history by winning a seat on the bench, flipping control of the court to the left for the first time in 15 years. Since then, the court has struck down the gerrymandered maps that favored Republicans in Wisconsin for more than a decade. It’s allowed Democrats to pick up 14 seats in the state Legislature, giving them a chance to retake both chambers in next year’s elections. If next month’s Supreme Court election goes to Republicans, rollbacks are likely inevitable.The court is also set to decide on several key cases in the coming months, including a draconian 1849 abortion law and a case involving bargaining rights for unions. These are cases that could reverberate across the country. 

Regardless of who or why, no billionaire should have this much influence on any election. If Musk’s efforts pay off in Wisconsin, he could feel emboldened to come for an election in your state next.