Musk's America Party has helpers — and challenges

Elon Musk's push to form a new political party is fielding offers for help from Andrew Yang's Forward Party, the Libertarian Party and several consultants, Axios has learned."I'm in touch with Elon and his team, and I've said to them, 'Look, anyone who wants to challenge the duopoly has a friend in me,' " Yang said in an interview with Axios.Why it matters: Musk has said he wants his America Party to be a political disruptor in the 2026 midterms — a likely outlet for the billionaire's push to cut the nation's runaway debt and boost sustainable energy.And, perhaps, strike back at President Trump and those Republican lawmakers who left Musk feeling betrayed by backing Trump's "big beautiful bill," which is projected to balloon the nation's deficits by more than $3 trillion over the next decade.Zoom in: So far, Musk's plans are mostly all talk — a germ of an idea to target a few members of Congress.Creating a third party in U.S. politics isn't easy, and requires an organization that's able to gather the signatures of thousands of voters in a state just to get on a ballot. Musk, who sank well over $200 million into backing Trump and Republicans last year, has the money to do that.Then there's the question of which voters and candidates would be willing to stand with Musk. He has a history of erratic behavior — and polls indicate he's alienated voters on both sides of the spectrum by cozying up to Trump, leading DOGE, and then bitterly breaking with Trump.But Monday, there were indications that other third parties might be willing to align with Musk.Yang said he might help Musk recruit candidates in the House districts where Musk is looking to challenge incumbents.Yang's Forward Party — founded in 2021, after his unsuccessful run in the Democratic presidential primary the year before — now has 46 elected officials representing the party."Right now they're in learning mode," Yang said of Musk and his team.Musk "could make a third-party effort immediately viable, and that changes the game," said Ron Nielson, who managed Gary Johnson's Libertarian campaign for president in 2016 and said he would consider working for Musk's party.No Labels, an organization that considered trying to run an independent presidential candidate in 2024, is also intrigued by Musk's interest in creating a new governing coalition in Congress, according to a representative from the group. The Libertarian Party, meanwhile, is lobbying Musk where he lives — on X, his social media platform — urging him to join Libertarians over a shared interest of fiscal responsibility and concern about the deficit.The Libertarian Party has the most ballot access of the minor parties and regularly has candidates for offices at all levels of government."Perhaps there is grounds for a coalition between the Libertarians and the America Party to run pro-liberty, small-government, fiscally conservative candidates against the Republicans, who have proven that they cannot be trusted," party chair Steven Nekhaila said. "There's many billionaires and very wealthy, rich, iconic people that have tried, but none of them have been successful" in third-party politics, Nekhaila said.Representatives for Musk didn't respond to a request for comment.Zoom out: State laws govern ballot access, and "the laws in each state tend to be very complex and arcane, and they are enforced by partisan election officials," said Oliver Hall, founder and executive director for the Center for Competitive Democracy. "If the partisan election officials are not disposed to want you on the ballot, then they can enforce them in somewhat arbitrary ways."Hall, whose organization helps all non-major party candidates navigate ballot access and litigation, has dealt with the numerous — and often frivolous — lawsuits filed by Democratic and GOP operatives to stifle third parties.One lawsuit against independent candidate Cornel West in 2024 aimed to keep West off the ballot in Wisconsin because his two-page candidate declaration wasn't stapled together, Hall said. "That's the kind of thing they will come after you for if they don't want you on the ballot," he said.In some states, it's harder for a new party to get on the ballot for a congressional race than a presidential election, said ballot access expert Richard Winger, who runs Ballot Access News.Between the lines: The third-party consulting and petitioning world is niche, but many people are motivated to expand voters' choices so Musk shouldn't struggle to find experts willing to work with him, several consultants told Axios.Being the world's richest person also will help Musk — where there's money, there are consultants and advisers. But Musk and his team will have to find the right team members, political veterans said."I guarantee you every grifter in the petitioning world is already trying to get their claws into Musk," one third-party ballot access consultant told Axios.Musk, the consultant added, needs "the pros, not the bros."Axios' Hans Nichols and Alex Isenstadt contributed to this story.

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