Elon Musk urges Twitter followers to vote Republican in midterms
San Francisco, California - Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has a message for America: Vote Republican.
Billionaire Elon Musk took time out from his chaotic takeover of Twitter on Monday to suggest that people should back the GOP in the midterm elections to provide a check on President Joe Biden’s policies.
"Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic," Musk tweeted.
"Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who’s in charge!" he added.
Musk, a naturalized US citizen who has made billions building electric automaker Tesla, considers himself a political independent and says he mostly voted Democratic in the past. He recently indicated that he was switching up his vote in the midterms, suggesting that Democrats are too friendly toward labor unions.
He has recently become a hero to the far right wing of the GOP, which has cheered his plans to reduce content moderation aimed at rooting out racism and other hate speech on Twitter.
The GOP House Judiciary Committee recently tweeted praise for "Kanye. Elon. Trump," putting Musk alongside the former president and rapper Kanye West, who has spewed antisemitism.
The South African-born tech mogul has endured a barrage of withering criticism over his seemingly ill-planned $44-billion takeover of Twitter.
He posted a false conspiracy theory about the attack on the husband of Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Musk has banned comic Kathy Griffin for her mocking impersonation of him on the site.
He also took flak from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over plans to charge $8 a month to users who want to have the Bird’s blue check and other purported benefits.
"Lmao at a billionaire earnestly trying to sell people on the idea that 'free speech' is actually a $8/mo subscription plan," Ocasio-Cortez jabbed.
"Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8," Musk retorted.
Cover photo: REUTERS