A group backed by billionaire Elon Musk is behind a set of deceptive attack ads and text messages targeting voters just weeks ahead of the election for a seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, employing a battleground state strategy it used last year against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

The ads are labeled as coming from a group called Progress 2028 and are made to look like authentic messages of support for Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, who is backed by Democrats. They describe her as a “progressive champion” who will “stand up for immigrants,” defend Planned Parenthood and promote a justice system that gives criminals “second chances.”

But records show the ads that appear on Facebook and Instagram and in text messages to some voters are underwritten by Building America’s Future. That’s a national conservative group that counts Musk among its biggest donors, a Wall Street Journal report revealed.

The ads largely hew to the facts in Crawford’s background but focus on hot-button issues such as abortion, immigration and criminal justice reform. They call for Crawford to “boldly proclaim her progressive values,” language that potentially diminishes her standing with moderate or conservative voters in a race that is — at least officially — nonpartisan.

The April 1 election will determine whether liberals maintain their 4-3 majority on the court. Looming are major cases dealing with abortion, union rights, election law and congressional redistricting — some that could influence the race for president in 2028.

Musk’s America PAC is the biggest outside spender in the Supreme Court race so far, doling out more than $3.2 million to benefit Crawford’s Republican opponent, former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, according to state records. Building America’s Future has invested some $2 million in the race, records show.

The Facebook and Instagram ads are targeted to specific users through the group’s own custom lists, according to audience data in Meta’s ad library.

They describe Crawford as a “progressive champion” and seemed to fool even some conservatives into thinking they were intended to promote her candidacy. Scott Manley, chief lobbyist for the state’s chamber of commerce, which has endorsed Schimel, wrote on the social platform X, “Did George Soros fund this ad?” It was a reference to the billionaire philanthropist and liberal donor.

Unlike Schimel, Crawford has never held elected office or run for office as a Democrat. Still, she has a long history of fighting for Democratic issues.

That includes challenging the state’s voter ID law passed by Republicans and representing Planned Parenthood in a case challenging a GOP law that required doctors performing abortions to get admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. She also represented teachers in a case attempting to overturn the law championed by former Republican Gov. Scott Walker that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for public workers.