Ahead of the upcoming April 1 election, the DNC is laying out the stakes of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. In the DNC’s first paid ad campaign calling out Elon Musk, the DNC blanketed seven Wisconsin newspapers, exposing Musk for spending millions in the race to further his own corporate interests. As Musk funnels millions of dollars into a far-right candidate willing to be his and Trump’s puppet – and even pledges $1 million checks to Wisconsin voters who support Schimel – the DNC is making it clear that, once again, Trump and Musk’s only priority is to enrich billionaires, not hardworking Wisconsinites.  

Tomorrow’s Supreme Court election is critical to show Elon Musk once and for all that he cannot buy local elections and Wisconsinites don’t want him meddling in our federal government. 

The DNC and Wisconsin voters have one simple message for Elon Musk: Wisconsin is not for sale. 

Here’s a look at some of the coverage from the full-page newspaper ads: 

Rolling Stone: Ahead of Supreme Court Race, DNC Shows Wisconsin Musk’s Salute

[Tessa Stuart, 3/28/25]

Key Point: “Across Wisconsin this weekend, voters will open their newspapers to see Elon Musk delivering a straight-arm salute behind Brad Schimel, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin Supreme Court, whose campaign Musk’s organizations have been boosting ahead of the April 1 election. 

“‘On April 1, Wisconsinites get the chance to say what Americans across this country are thinking: “Go to hell, Elon,”’ DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement shared with Rolling Stone. ‘Billionaires have no business deciding our elections and Wisconsinites deserve a Supreme Court justice who looks out for them, not the ultra-wealthy. Now and forever, Wisconsin is not for sale.’”

The Hill: DNC ad: Musk trying to buy seat on Wisconsin Supreme Court

[Jared Gans, 3/28/25] 

Key Point: “The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is taking out a series of ads in Wisconsin newspapers accusing Elon Musk of attempting to buy a state Supreme Court seat ahead of the election Tuesday. …

“The DNC said in a release that it is ‘blanketing’ more than a half dozen local Wisconsin newspapers to call out Musk, following its announcement that it plans to reach 2 million voters to rally support for Crawford. 

“‘On April 1, Wisconsinites get the chance to say what Americans across this country are thinking: “Go to hell, Elon,”’ DNC Chair Ken Martin said in the release. ‘Wisconsinites deserve a Supreme Court justice who looks out for them, not the ultra-wealthy. Now and forever, Wisconsin is not for sale.’”

USA Today: Wisconsin Supreme Court race heats up as Democrats take aim at Elon Musk’s involvement

[Savannah Kuchar, 3/28/25]

Key Point: “The Democratic National Committee announced they are publishing ads over the weekend in several local Wisconsin papers targeting the world’s richest man.

“‘Elon Musk is trying to buy a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat for Brad Schimel,’ the ad reads in bolded letters …

“‘Billionaires have no business deciding our elections and Wisconsinites deserve a Supreme Court justice who looks out for them, not the ultra-wealthy,’ DNC Chair Ken Martin. ‘Now and forever, Wisconsin is not for sale.’”

Washington Post: DNC ad buy goes after Musk’s involvement in Wisconsin court race

[Patrick Svitek and Meryl Kornfield, 3/28/25]

Key Point: “The Democratic National Committee is running ads over the weekend in seven Wisconsin newspapers warning that Musk is ‘trying to buy’ a seat on the court for Brad Schimel, the GOP-backed candidate in Tuesday’s election.

“‘WISCONSIN IS NOT FOR SALE,’ the ad says, showing grainy black-and-white images of Schimel and Musk. …

“The Democratic National Committee is billing the newspaper ads as its ‘first paid media explicitly calling out Musk.’”

Fox News: Elon Musk becomes DNC’s target in high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court showdown

[Breanne Deppisch, 3/28/25]

Key Point: “The Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched its first-ever ad buy Friday targeting Elon Musk and the millions of dollars he has injected into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, previewing what could be a broader strategy for the party going forward. …

“Musk ‘has threatened Medicare, gutted Social Security services, and now he thinks he can buy himself a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court,’ DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement Friday. ‘That’s why, today, the DNC is out with our first paid media explicitly calling out Musk for his attempts to meddle in Wisconsin’s elections.’

“DNC officials told Fox News Digital that the ads will run in seven local newspapers across the state – the Chippewa Herald, the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, the Beloit Daily News, the Daily Jefferson County Union, the Janesville Gazette, the Watertown Daily Times and the Oshkosh Northwestern – and highlight the message, ‘Wisconsin is not for sale.’”

NOTUS: The DNC Goes After Musk

[Nuha Dolby, 3/28/25]

Key Point: “The Democratic National Committee will take out full-page ads in seven local Wisconsin papers in the final stretch before the state’s April 1 Supreme Court election, marking the first time the DNC has used paid media to explicitly go after Musk. The billionaire has spent millions on the race, and the election is viewed as a litmus test for his status as GOP kingmaker — or as a political liability.

“The advertisement includes a photo of conservative candidate Brad Schimel; he’s in front an image of Musk making a gesture during an event celebrating Trump’s inauguration that looked like a Nazi salute (Musk denied it was a Nazi salute). The ad’s captions read, ‘Elon Musk is trying to buy a Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat for Brad Schimel’ and ‘WISCONSIN IS NOT FOR SALE.’

“‘On April 1, Wisconsinites get the chance to say what Americans across this country are thinking: “Go to hell, Elon,”’ the DNC’s chair, Ken Martin, said in a statement about the ad buy.”