Archived social media posts from a student Republican operative, Nicholas Jacobs, who received a $1m check from Elon Musk, show that he was deeply immersed in Republican electioneering over the last year, working not only to elect Donald Trump but other party candidates in the state.
They included failed Wisconsin Republican senate candidate Eric Hovde; first-term congressman Tony Wied; incumbent Milwaukee Republican vice-chair Brett Galaszewski; and Brad Schimel, the state supreme court candidate whom Musk has spent $25m supporting.
Jacobs’s check was one part of a reported $25m spent by Musk and groups he funds – a significant chunk of the unprecedented $80m spent on the technically nonpartisan judicial election.
Musk had initially said the $1m checks were given “in appreciation for you taking the time to vote” but then reframed the giveaway to focus on a petition against activist judges after doubts were raised about its legality under local voting rights and bribery laws.
The Wisconsin race was widely seen as a litmus test of Trump’s popularity, and of Musk’s ability to buy elections. Musk’s preferred candidate lost amid widespread outcry at his intervention in the local state race.
Jacobs – who is chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans – also objected on X to Republicans who supported amendments to the state’s constitution to ban outside organizations in state elections. Instead, he posted that outsiders coming to the state would help Republicans defeat Democrats.
On his now-locked X account, Jacobs wrote: “In 2024, a handful of conservative organizations worked hand-in-hand to help @realDonaldTrump win and it worked like well-oiled machine”, later adding: “We will be taking a major step backwards if the @WisGOP leadership prohibition on outside organizations takes effect this May. We can’t afford to give any momentum back to the left!
The revelations come as controversy swirls around Musk flooding the state-level election with money amid his ongoing efforts to gut the federal government via his Doge agency.
The Guardian contacted the Wisconsin College Republicans and Elon Musk for comment on this reporting but received no response.
Jacobs got his check at an event on Sunday hosted by Musk. By Monday, local media had identified him as Musk’s beneficiary.
The revelation that he was a Republican operative led to online speculation that the giveaway, meant to induce turnout in the closely contested supreme court race, might have favoured party workers rather than ordinary voters.
Jacobs locked his X account after he was identified as the recipient of one of two $1m checks but archived posts reveal his previous strident public advocacy for national, statewide and local Republican candidates.
Bank executive Eric Hovde, normally a resident in Laguna in southern California, challenged incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin in last November’s election for a US Senate seat in Wisconsin.
On 3 October 2024, Jacobs wrote: “I’m Nick, a 21-year old in Wisconsin. I just cast my first presidential ballot for @realDonaldTrump and @EricHovde!” He added: “We have 6 days until the election! Let’s win this! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 #Trump2024”
Days later, Jacobs posted: “Knocking doors for @EricHovde and @realDonaldTrump. We have a little over 48 hours left. Let’s win this! 🇺🇸 #VoteRedToSaveAmerica #TrumpVance2024.”
Hovde lost the contest.
The archives indicate that his public promotion of Republican candidates continued into the recent past.
A week ago, ahead of Tuesday’s election, he posted: “My friend and I just voted for Brad Schimel and Brittany Kinser!”
Schimel, the Republican-backed supreme court candidate, faced liberal Susan Crawford in the race. Crawford won in a victory that has proved galvanising to a local and national Democratic party as it seeks to emerge from the political wilderness after losing to Trump in 2024.
Kinser, a longtime advocate of charter schools and education voucher schemes, was running for superintendent of public instruction, a statewide office whose holder leads public schools in the state. She also lost.
