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One of MSNBC’s Morning Joe hosts is delighting in the fact that the Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate backed by Elon Musk’s lost - even after the tech mogul dumped millions into the race.
Wisconsin voters elected liberal justice Susan Crawford to the state’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, beating Brad Schimel by more than 200,000 votes in the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history. The vote keeps the high court’s 4-3 liberal majority intact.
Musk repeatedly played up the stakes of the election, claiming it will direct the “destiny of humanity” and the future of “the world” is at stake.
Now, Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough is reveling in the “massive loss” Musk suffered.
Morning Joe hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough discuss the Wisconsin Supreme Court election results
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Morning Joe hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough discuss the Wisconsin Supreme Court election results (MSNBC)
"Didn't Elon Musk say just a couple of days ago that western civilization would rise or fall with this election if Democrats didn't lose?” Scarborough asked.
"Okay, I mean it's hard to understate what a massive victory this was for him and what a massive loss it was for Elon Musk, " he added. "I mean, Elon Musk put himself front and center and I think it's safe to say after last night in Wisconsin, the heat shield has melted; it did not hold together coming back into earth's atmosphere.”
Musk and groups affiliated with him spent about $20 million on the race. The Tesla chief also gave a speech in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Sunday, handing out $1 million each to two people in the crowd who will be “spokesmen” for his petition against “activist” judges.
Democrat-backed judge Susan Crawford was elected to Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, despite Elon Musk pouring tens of millions into a Republican-backed Brad Schimel.
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Democrat-backed judge Susan Crawford was elected to Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, despite Elon Musk pouring tens of millions into a Republican-backed Brad Schimel. (REUTERS)
“Just think: Wisconsin media-wise, it's a small state. He spent tens of millions of his own dollars handing out million dollar checks,” Scarborough said. “I mean, they went all in on this race and lost big, double digits, lost by ten points in a race that was decided by less than one point in November."
Musk argued this was a “very important race” while campaigning with Schimel over the weekend.
“This is a very important race for many reasons,” Musk said. “The most consequential is that [it] will decide how congressional districts are drawn in Wisconsin, which if the other candidate wins, instead of Justice Schimel, then the Democrats will attempt to redraw the districts and cause Wisconsin to lose two Republican seats.”
“In my opinion, that’s the most important thing, which is a big deal given that the congressional majority is so razor-thin,” he added. “It could cause the House to switch to Democrat if that redrawing takes place.”
Reacting to Schimel’s loss on Tuesday night, Musk wrote on X: “The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary.”