GOP senators fear Musk-Trump beef spells trouble for midterm election

[mystery-ak]

 GOP senators fear Musk-Trump beef spells trouble for midterm election
by Alexander Bolton - 07/10/25 6:00 AM ET

Senate Republicans fear Elon Musk’s beef with President Trump could become a wild-card factor that could cost them seats in 2026 if Musk follows through on his threat to create a new political party to compete with the GOP.

GOP lawmakers note that third-party candidates have swung presidential and Senate races in the past and worry that Musk’s bid to establish an “America Party” is likely to peel off more Republicans than Democratic voters in key races.

Musk, if he moves forward with his plans, is expected to make reducing the federal debt a key plank of his new party, an issue that traditionally appeals to conservative voters. The tech mogul also has threatened to support primary challenges against self-described Republican fiscal conservatives who voted for Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The billionaire created a big political headache for Republicans last month by trashing Trump’s megabill as a “disgusting abomination” and warning it would “destroy millions of jobs in America.”

While GOP lawmakers doubt that America Party candidates could actually win seats in Congress, they worry Musk-backed, third-party candidates could play spoiler roles and swing close races to Democrats.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) warned that Musk could cost Republicans unified control of the White House and Congress, which they used this year to cut taxes, slash Medicaid spending and beef up border security, among other accomplishments.

Asked about Musk’s formation of the America Party, Johnson offered a blunt answer: “If he wants to ensure never returning to a prepandemic level of spending, never balancing our budget, that would be a good thing to do.”

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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5393315-republican-concerns-elons-new-party/

[DefiantMassRINO]

GOP Senators are afraid of their own shadows.

Trump is doing well.

Musk is throwing a temper-tantrum.

It's like watching King Kong and Godzilla fight it out to see which gets to be dominant.  Too much ego in too little space.

[Smokin Joe]

GOP Senators are afraid of their own shadows.

Trump is doing well.

Musk is throwing a temper-tantrum.

It's like watching King Kong and Godzilla fight it out to see which gets to be dominant.  Too much ego in too little space.

Yeah, but what will really hurt in the midterms is the fecklessness of the Republicans in Congress. They could have contested the parliamentarian on some issues and made a much better bill--or at least have exhausted all their options trying.

[libertybele]

GOP Senators are afraid of their own shadows.

Trump is doing well.

Musk is throwing a temper-tantrum.

It's like watching King Kong and Godzilla fight it out to see which gets to be dominant.  Too much ego in too little space.

 

Musk seems to have a 'quick temper' and with all of his wealth he is used to getting his way.  Yes, Trump is doing well, but Congress, definitely not so much.  They need to step up their game, but the GOP is generally the party of do nothing.  Yes they have a slim majority, but they also have a huge opportunity to get things done and they are basically sitting idle.

[roamer_1]

No, Tumpy is NOT doing well - Most of the 'well' he DID do was with Musk.

Then he stepped on him.

And now there's hell to pay.

Funny, how that works.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Things don't end well for most people who do business with Trump.  The only certainty is another stab-in-the-back, tell-all memoir about time spent kissing Trump's ring.

[Fishrrman]

Things may get patched up by then...

[corbe]

   I don't know who is worst off phycological Trump or Musk but bad blood has spilt between the two of them and it's unfortunate. 



   I hope it doesn't consume the rest of his Presidency.

[libertybele]

   I don't know who is worst off phycological Trump or Musk but bad blood has spilt between the two of them and it's unfortunate. 



   I hope it doesn't consume the rest of his Presidency.

Just my opinion; I see President Trump as pretty psychologically stable as he is able to remain calm and collected for the most part, whereas Musk displays a bit of anxiousness and agitation and throws tantrums if he doesn't get his way.  Both are narcissistic, intelligent and steadfast in their ways which maybe why perhaps they've clashed.

[bilo]

Yeah, but what will really hurt in the midterms is the fecklessness of the Republicans in Congress. They could have contested the parliamentarian on some issues and made a much better bill--or at least have exhausted all their options trying.

Man you nailed it!

They are struggling to pass 1 recission bill that would end 9.5 billion in spending. If they can't even do that they should worry.

[Hoodat]

Man you nailed it!

They are struggling to pass 1 recission bill that would end 9.5 billion in spending. If they can't even do that they should worry.

That's less than one-half of one percent of our current deficit.  Yet $20 billion to USAID is not even on the table.

[Stevensr123]

The only thing Trump is doing well with is illegal immigration.

Has he stopped the Ukraine war? No.
Debt is going to go up by 5 trillion.
Taxes have increased via tariffs - which is a tax on Americans and American businesses.
Epstein list buried.
Government barely reduced, if at all.
Tax on tips watered down

Republicans ran on a ticket of fiscal responsibility, musk gave them a platform to do something special and they squandered the chance due to their own selfish attitudes on getting elected again. Basically they put themselves before country.

[Bigun]

GOP senators fear their own shadows!

[roamer_1]

The only thing Trump is doing well with is illegal immigration.

Has he stopped the Ukraine war? No.
Debt is going to go up by 5 trillion.
Taxes have increased via tariffs - which is a tax on Americans and American businesses.
Epstein list buried.
Government barely reduced, if at all.
Tax on tips watered down

Republicans ran on a ticket of fiscal responsibility, musk gave them a platform to do something special and they squandered the chance due to their own selfish attitudes on getting elected again. Basically they put themselves before country.

Tolja. It's all bullshit.  Jussayin. 

[DefiantMassRINO]

Trump ran on that he wasn't as bad as Biden nor Cackles.

Nothing is stopping the GOP US House and the GOP US Senate from passing a balanced FY2026 Budget.  They don't do it because they don't want to.  They don't want to be the ones that tip over the gravy bowl at Thanksgiving Dinner.

It's GOP hogs feeding from the trough.

Fiscal conservatism went out of vogue in the GOP during Bush '43, when they created Medicare Part D, and when they socialized private financial losses during the 2008/2009 Financial Crisis.

Austerity will be forced upon the US Government when people stop buying US Debt.  As long as there is a market for US Debt, the fiscal insanity will continue.  If nobody buys debt, they may even create an artificial market for it so they can continue to let the good times (for themselves) roll.

The precious metals markets are sounding the warning alarms.

Imports were bound to become more expensive as the value of the dollar declines relative to precious metals and other currencies.  Except for imports from China; the Chinese Communist Party can afford to price things at a loss ... because they are communists.

[bilo]

That's less than one-half of one percent of our current deficit.  Yet $20 billion to USAID is not even on the table.

They must figure we will vote for them no matter what.

I think the next step is impoundment.

I don't see MAGA showing up the way they did for Pres. Trump when they can't cut bloated expenses.

[bilo]

GOP senators fear their own shadows!

You are so right.

I would think by now they would have learned from Pres. Trump; fight, fight, fight. The American people would love them for it. Instead they are opening a big wide gate to let the Rats back into power.

[roamer_1]

They must figure we will vote for them no matter what.

All y'all WILL vote for em, no matter what... That's what I been saying all the way along. That's how we got here.

[Smokin Joe]

That's less than one-half of one percent of our current deficit.  Yet $20 billion to USAID is not even on the table.

And the question is "Why not?".

More than Democrats have been feeding at that trough.

[Smokin Joe]

All y'all WILL vote for em, no matter what... That's what I been saying all the way along. That's how we got here.

The question is one of whether or not Musk's new party (one I am not sure I agree with) will put enough fear into 'pubbies to get them to do their job. If so, that might be reason enough to at least appear to support it.

I am not sure there isn't an element of theater in all this, though I understand Elon's frustration.