The Excerpt SPECIAL | Elon Musk wants to start a third party but it will take more than just money
Jul 23, 2025
Joey Garrison, a White House correspondent for USA Today, offers insight into Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to establish a third political party, the American Party. He discusses the significant obstacles Musk faces, like ballot access and public unpopularity. Garrison highlights the necessity of a unifying agenda to attract a broad voter base. He also reflects on historical challenges from past third-party movements and the critical lessons that might influence Musk's strategy in reshaping American politics.
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Challenges for Third Party Startups
- Elon Musk faces logistical and political barriers starting a third party, including complex petition laws across states.
- Well-funded GOP and Dem parties would legally challenge his ballot access efforts aggressively.
Musk’s Popularity Problem
- Musk's low favorability across both major political bases makes building a coalition extremely difficult.
- His past political actions alienated both the Democratic left and MAGA supporters.
Voter Loyalty Limits Third Parties
- Voters generally favor third parties in principle, but habitual loyalty to Republicans or Democrats prevails.
- Musk’s focus on debt isn’t likely to galvanize a broad voter base without a wider agenda.