By Sulagna Halder
Washington, 5 July 2025:
According to a recent Quantus Insights survey, if Elon Musk's proposed political initiative, the "America Party," is introduced later this year, 40% of American voters would consider supporting it.
Between June 30 and July 2, a representative sample of registered voters was asked if they would likely support candidates from Musk's party. On X, his social media platform, Musk said, "It's time for a new political party that genuinely cares about the people." He also made a suggestion that he would only target important congressional races.
The poll comes after Musk publicly criticised President Trump's expansive budget proposal, calling it "insane" and vowing to start a new party if it were approved. The fact that 40% of respondents indicated that they would be willing to support such a party indicates that there may be a market for a third party alternative. Musk has laid out his strategy to concentrate on a small number of Senate and House seats where an independent party could have tactical influence, namely two or three Senate contests and eight to ten House districts. Without launching an expensive national campaign, the strategy aims to maximise impact within America's preferred two party system.
However, political analysts warn that it is notoriously hard to get into U.S. politics. Although Musk is extremely wealthy, according to a report in Omni, "experts say it is extremely difficult to launch a new party in the USA, even for someone with Musk's resources." Furthermore, Musk's political persona is still divisive. His net favorability, according to a June Morning Consult poll, is 14 points, reflecting ingrained skepticism amid recent public disputes, especially with former President Trump, and criticism of his contentious initiatives, like support for DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) policies.
The concept of a third party has also elicited conflicting responses from the public. Although Musk's separate X poll revealed that about 80% of participants supported a new centrist party, the sample was primarily made up of his supporters and was therefore not very representative of the general public. Musk will have to choose a candidate, gain ballot access in important states, and raise money for targeted campaigns if he decides to move forward with the "America Party." Legal experts caution that even for wealthy backers, there may be logistical challenges due to the significant variation in ballot laws and ballot access thresholds across states.
Although the Quantus poll indicates sincere interest in parties other than the Democratic and Republican ones, it is still difficult to convert this into actual electoral gains. Nevertheless, in the lead up to the 2026 midterm elections, Musk's declaration and the polling data may have a significant impact on American politics.
