Elon Musk Appears to be Partisan With New Tweets Amid US Midterm Elections

Elon Musk used his newly-owned platform to reach out to "independent-minded voters" on Monday, urging them to support Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections in the United States, as reported first by AP.

The move seems unusual for a tech company chief, which is generally avoided by most tech leaders so that their platforms will not be perceived as favoring a particular political position.

Musk, who paid $44 billion to acquire Twitter, has previously shared his political opinions both on and off the site.

However, a clear preference for one political now that he controls the company raises concerns about Twitter's ability to stay neutral under the billionaire's era in the platform.

"Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic," Musk said in a tweet.

"Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who's in charge!"

Musk's Political Endorsement

The tweets follow Musk's efforts to transform the company amid concerns that the recent mass layoffs of the blur bird app may leave the company unable to regulate misinformation and hate speech, especially during a crucial time like the midterm elections.

Despite Musk's pledge to prevent Twitter from turning into a "free-for-all hellscape," some advertisers have abandoned the site, including Tesla's rival GM. The billionaire himself has also shared misinformation regarding the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband.

It is worth noting that the billionaire tweeted two days after he decided to purchase the platform in April that it must remain politically neutral in order to earn the "public's trust." He added that this means upsetting the far left and far right "equally."

However, Musk appeared to have retracted this statement since he tweeted in May that he will be supporting the Republican party.

He said: "In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican. Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold."

Musk's recent political endorsement comes at the heels of his announcement last week that he has positioned himself as the platform's moderator-in-chief, days after acquiring ownership of the bird app.

Right-wing politicians asking for fewer restrictions have directly engaged with the richest man in the world before. One Republican vying for secretary of state in Arizona credited Musk with enabling him to start tweeting after his account was suspended on October 31.

He has also considered reinstating former President Donald Trump to get back to Twitter after receiving a permanent ban for reportedly violating Twitter's rules against violent incitement during the Capital Riot on January 6.

Several activist organizations have also expressed worries that Musk's era on Twitter will give a megaphone to extremists given his free-speech absolutist stance.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Jace Dela Cruz