UPDATE: A new Delphi Analytica poll in Michigan finds Robert Ritchie (R) — a.k.a. Kid Rock — leading Sen. [score]Debbie Stabenow[/score] (D) in a possible U.S. Senate match up, 30% to 26%. The poll had a large 44% are not willing to express a preference, which could spell bad news for Stabenow since she the incumbent is well known in the state.
Is this Kid Rock for Senate thing a real deal or a publicity stunt? Time will tell, of course, but for now, we can enjoy the rappers social media becoming more political and bashing Democrats.
Speculation continues to grow that Kid Rock (born Robert James Ritchie) will challenge charisma-challenged Democrat Senator [score]Debbie Stabenow[/score] in 2018, and in this age of social media, celebrity culture, and anti-political elitists, the Michigan Senate seat, previously considered safe for Stabenow, might not be so certain.
On Monday, Kid Rock tweeted his first political message of his potential campaign, stating “I believe if you work your butt off and pay taxes, you should be able to easily understand and navigate the laws, tax codes, health care and anything else the government puts in place that affects us all.”
https://t.co/RRVgISDFeq pic.twitter.com/zPDlqeHzJl
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 17, 2017
Pretty universal truth right there, correct? Something every American should agree upon unless you’re a progressive leftist Democrat who worships at the altar of big, intrusive, unconstitutional government. A great message that you don’t hear enough from politicians who thrive on the exact opposite of the statement.
On Friday, Kid Rock took a Twitter shot at Debbie Stabenow and Senate Minority Leader [score]Chuck Schumer[/score], posting a picture of his dinner and asking the question, “What do you think Schumer is spoon-feeding Stabenow now?”
Dinner time at my house. What do you think Schumer is spoon-feeding Stabenow tonight? pic.twitter.com/gomKgqBV2l
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 21, 2017
Ouch! That’s a pretty politically astute tweet for someone with no political experience. Scheming Chuck Schumer is wildly unpopular and tying Debbie Stabenow to him and painting her as his puppet is a smart strategy.
On Friday, Kid Rock received his first official endorsement from a politician. Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller endorsed his potential candidacy against Stabenow.
In a Facebook post, Miller wrote:
“I dont [sic] care what Kid Rock looks like. He supports and defends the Constitution, is an ardent defender of the 2nd Amendment, and backed Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton for President. While I dont [sic] share his position on each and every issue facing our great country, He and I are much closer on the issues than his opponent–Democrat incumbent Debbie Stabenow. I believe that Kid Rock will be a great United States Senator and that is why he has my strong endorsement!”
Kid Rock announced his plan to challenge Stabenow July 12 on Twitter, insisting that the beginnings of a campaign website are for real.
I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real… https://t.co/RRVgISDFeq The answer is an absolute YES. pic.twitter.com/uYCUg6mjW1
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 12, 2017
On Tuesday (July 18) Rock tweeted out a link to his Kid Rock for US Senate official campaign swag, which appears to include a baseball hat ($15,99), a t-shirt ($24.99), a bumper sticker ($4.99) and a yard sign ($15.99) complete with a one-star, two-stripe mini-flag logo.
https://t.co/RRVgISDFeq pic.twitter.com/VaezmV1Rri
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 18, 2017
P. H. Guthrie over at The Federalist writes that Kid Rock’s greatest attribute might be his authenticity — something America is craving in an era of phoniness:
“Authenticity is perhaps the greatest feature a public figure can possess, yet least appreciated by the political class. And it is nowhere on greater display than in the persona of Robert Ritchie, a.k.a. “Kid Rock,” who promises to run in 2018 for the Michigan Senate seat currently held by Democrat Debbie Stabenow
Honesty about himself propelled Donald Trump to the presidency, and her lack thereof doomed Hillary Clinton to the ignominious asterisk of also–ran. Sincerity can transform liabilities into assets by providing a clear window into the soul of a public figure. Some actions are clearly disqualifying—cruelty to animals or children, overt racism, and the like—but the list grows shorter each year.”
If you ask me, Senator Debbie Stabenow has more than a little bit of the Hillary Clinton persona around her. Could another celebrity be headed to Washington, DC?