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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Politics
Dave Goldiner

Elon Musk urges Twitter followers to vote Republican in midterms

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 U.S. citizen who has made billions building electric automaker Tesla, considers himself a political independent and says he mostly voted Democratic in the past.

He has recently become a hero to the far right wing of the GOP, which has cheered his plans to reduce content moderation to root 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 from liberals 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, D-N.Y., 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 jabbbed.

“Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8,” Musk retorted.

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