Stephen King Takes Jab at Elon Musk's Efforts in Wisconsin Election

Best-selling author Stephen King appeared to take a jab at Elon Musk on Saturday after the billionaire said he'd dole out $1 million payments to two people who signed a petition related to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election.

Newsweek attempted to reach out to Musk via two of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, on Saturday.

Why It Matters

The April 1 election will determine whether Wisconsin's Supreme Court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority, and could have implications for issues ranging from abortion to redistricting for the Midwestern state, which is divided nearly evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

It also will be seen as a test of how the electorate feels about President Donald Trump's tenure so far.

Musk, the world's richest person and a staunch backer of Trump's, wrote on Friday on X, formerly Twitter, that he would give $1 million to two Wisconsin voters for signing an online petition against "activist" judges. He plans to give out the money at a Sunday rally ahead of Tuesday's election.

Additionally, the billionaire has offered $100 to anyone signing the petition. Musk previously gave out a $1 million payment to an individual who signed.

King has been a frequent Trump and Musk critic, routinely slamming the president and his billionaire ally via his social media platforms. Many of his biting posts have gone viral, drawing thousands of shares and millions of views.

What to Know

Although King did not explicitly mention Musk, he posted to X on Friday and made a jab apparently directed at the billionaire's Wisconsin efforts.

"Retweet this if a.) you're from Wisconsin, or b) your vote is not for sale, or c.) both," the author wrote.

Musk critics have accused him of breaking the law with the payments. But a Wisconsin judge on Saturday declined to stop him from moving forward with the plan after the state's Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a motion against the billionaire—arguing his actions would be illegal. Kaul immediately appealed the judge's Saturday decision.

The billionaire has already spent millions of dollars in support of conservative former state Attorney General Brad Schimel in his race against liberal Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford. He has reportedly spent more than $19 million in the election individually and through political groups, including America PAC and Building America's Future.

The race has become the most-expensive judicial contest in U.S. history, with nearly $80 million being contributed to both candidates combined. But recent polls in the race suggest Crawford may be in the lead.

SoCal Strategies polling, conducted between March 25 to 26 among 500 registered and likely voters, gave Crawford a 50 to 42 lead over Schimel. A previous RMG Research poll, among 800 registered voters from February 25 to 28, also showed Crawford with a lead. Forty-two percent said they planned to back Crawford, while 35 percent leaned toward Schimel and 17 percent were undecided.

What People Are Saying

Elon Musk via X on Friday: "On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. To clarify a previous post, entrance is limited to those who have signed the petition in opposition to activist judges. I will also hand over checks for a million dollars to 2 people to be spokesmen for the petition."

Ben Wikler, chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said in a Friday statement emailed to Newsweek: "Elon Musk has committed a blatant felony by offering money for votes in order to help Brad Schimel. Musk's illegal election bribery scheme to put Brad Schimel on the Supreme Court is a chainsaw attack on democracy and the rule of law in Wisconsin and our nation."

What Happens Next

It remains to be seen what will happen with the Wisconsin attorney general's appeal, as Kaul said Saturday that he would take the case to the state Court of Appeals. Regardless, Musk is expected to move forward with his event on Sunday.