'Never ignore it': GOP sees Musk's new party as 'competition' that could 'elect Democrats'
Following tech billionaire Elon Musk’s announcement of the new "America Party," some Republican lawmakers are urging caution and stressing that this move cannot be ignored. In a report published Wednesday, NOTUS highlighted the views of several GOP members of Congress on Musk’s party.
“It’s not that he will overtake either the Republicans or the Democrats,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told NOTUS.
Lummis thinks Musk could be “very effective" if he addresses the issues concerning the potential insolvency of Social Security and Medicare.
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She added: “But if he positions this ‘America Party’ in a way that resonates with those who are concerned about the debt and the deficit, I think he could be effective. I think it’s legit, it’s real. It just depends on what issues he chooses to emphasize.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told the outlet: “I think you should always take competition serious. And if it’s competition for Republicans, you should never ignore it."
He continued: "You always take it serious. That’s the way you win elections, is you don’t ignore anybody out there.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R‑Wis.), meanwhile, warned that the emergence of Musk’s new party could fracture a core component of the conservative voter base — and help the opposition in the process.
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“Well, unfortunately, if he does it, it’s going to split fiscal conservatives and elect Democrats who have no fiscal control or any desire to reduce the deficit," he said, per the report.
Johnson added: “So it’ll unfortunately be counterproductive.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R‑Okla.), cautioning against overreacting to Musk’s non‑political status, downplayed the potential impact of the America Party.
Musk, once a prominent adviser to President Donald Trump, officially unveiled plans for the “America Party” last week following a highly visible falling-out over Trump’s recent domestic spending package. The billionaire publicly criticized the bill — signed into law on July 4 — calling it fiscally irresponsible and blaming it for adding trillions to the national debt.
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Trump reacted to Musk's announcement in a Truth Social post last week and wrote: "The System seems not designed for [third parties]. The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS."
