Elon Musk's 'America Party' sparks GOP panic ahead of 2026 elections

Washington [US], July 10 (ANI): Senate Republicans are increasingly concerned that Elon Musk's escalating feud with US President Donald Trump and his threat to launch a new "America Party" could cost the GOP key seats in the 2026 elections, The Hill reported.
GOP lawmakers fear that Musk-backed third-party candidates could act as spoilers in tight races, siphoning conservative votes and benefiting Democrats in critical contests. According to The Hill, Republican strategists note that third-party candidates have previously swung outcomes in both presidential and Senate elections.
Musk, if he proceeds with launching the America Party, is expected to focus on reducing the federal debt -- a traditionally Republican issue. The Hill reported that the tech billionaire has also threatened to back primary challengers against GOP lawmakers who supported Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Musk slammed the bill as a "disgusting abomination" and warned it would "destroy millions of jobs in America."
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) warned that Musk's efforts could derail GOP efforts to maintain unified control of the White House and Congress. "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," Johnson told The Hill.
"He'd be splitting our party," he added. "We actually have some people concerned about the deficit, Democrats don't."
Johnson further stressed it's "obvious" Musk's new political party would damage Republican prospects more than Democratic ones. "We better get our act together in terms of reducing spending in our party," he told The Hill.
A Quinnipiac University poll cited by The Hill showed that 62% of Republicans view Musk favorably, compared to just 3% of Democrats, raising fears that Musk's influence would disproportionately affect GOP candidates.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), former chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, acknowledged the historical impact of third-party candidates, telling The Hill that they've "affected the outcomes of elections" even though "the third party has never become the majority party."
He added that the personal nature of the Trump-Musk conflict could make Musk's political push appear "more a personal vendetta than a political charge," and warned: "Politics is an ever-changing sea of voters, and one needs to pay attention to trends."
The Hill noted past examples where third-party candidates influenced Senate races, such as Libertarians Rick Breckenridge and Dan Cox potentially aiding Democratic wins in Montana, and third-party contenders possibly costing Republicans in Wisconsin in 2024.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), whose seat is up for grabs in 2026, told The Hill, "Every time this has been tried before, it generally, in most cases, it has harmed Republican outcomes." He said Musk would be more effective working within the two-party system.
Another Republican senator, speaking anonymously, told The Hill Musk could become a "Ross Perot"-type spoiler. Perot, who ran as an independent in 1992, garnered 19% of the vote and was blamed by some Republicans for President Clinton's wins in several states.
"I think he had unrealistic expectations about what government can do and how fast it can move when you have a government the size of our federal government," the senator said, speculating on Musk's frustrations during his brief stint in the Trump administration.
Last month, Musk warned GOP lawmakers who supported Trump's bill: "They should hang their head in shame," adding, "And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told The Hill that while Musk-backed candidates could siphon votes from Republicans, the overall impact remains uncertain. "Could it? Sure," he said. "We've seen that in history where third parties have affected results in national campaigns... I think there are a lot of frustrated Democrats out there who think their party has moved too far to the left."
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), facing a competitive primary, was cautious in his remarks but acknowledged Musk's freedom to act politically. "It's a free country. It wouldn't be the first, I guess we had a third-party \[candidate] when Ross Perot ran," he said.
Democratic strategist Steve Jarding warned that Musk could reshape the 2026 elections by targeting just a few key races. "He could recruit people under the American Party and totally fund them, and they're going to be competitive," Jarding said, adding: "If Elon Musk's goal is to make Trump pay... he can take both the House and the Senate."
"This guy can fundamentally change this next election, I don't care what he calls his party. He just has to write a check," Jarding told The Hill.
According to Federal Election Commission filings cited by The Hill, Musk spent over $290 million on the 2024 election cycle, raising concerns that his financial clout could make third-party challengers formidable in closely contested districts and states. (ANI)