Kid Rock Pushing ‘Senate’ Swag as Politicians Weigh in on Potential Run
Kid Rock said he wanted to be a cowboy a few decades ago, and now it seems he may have much higher aspirations. Although he has not officially filed any paperwork on his potential bid for a Senate seat he’s got the swag ready for his constituents. Rock has been tweeting out a link to his "Kid Rock for US Senate" gear, which includes the usual hats, t-shirts, bumper stickers, yard signs and also one-star mini-flags.
There’s still over a week for him to officially file his intent, though many are of the belief that this is merely a marketing ploy used to bolster ticket or album sales in 2018. Rock has been deflecting claims that the possible run might be an elaborate promotion for a new album or his upcoming 2018 tour. Curiously, he did drop two new all-American tracks last week -- "Po-Dunk" and "Greatest Show on Earth" -- that have only added fuel to the speculation.
Former U.S. Senator and New York Governor George Pataki told TMZ that he thinks the rock star is “exactly the kind of candidate the GOP needs now.” Staunch Republican Herman Cain had a completely different take, saying he thought it was “just a joke.”
Rock has rolled out a number of campaign slogans, which include “Party to the People, “Pimp the Nation” and “In Rock We Trust.” He also posted on his social media platforms with what amounts to a summary of his potential stump speech, "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."
If Kid Rock does make the official bid, he would be taking on Democratic Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow in the upcoming mid-term election. After being met with skepticism about his intentions, Rock responded by writing, "It's not a hoax, it's a strategy and marketing 101!"
The Michigan Democrat addressed the possibility of a Rock run in a tweet last week. “I know we both share a love of music. I concede he’s better at playing guitar and I’ll keep doing what I do best: fighting for Michigan,” Stabenow posted.
Rock responded to her tweet, “Senator Stabenow and I do share a love of music, although probably not the same kind. I concede she is better at playing politics than I am so I’ll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS and letting politicians like her know that We the People are sick and tired of their bull—-,” he wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
"I concede she is better at playing politics than I am, so I'll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS," said Rock, who hasn't kept his Trump-supporting ideology under wraps.
Speculation on whether it's all a Trump-style marketing campaign will likely continue until Rock either files with the Federal Election Commission or the deadline passes. One person who is taking Rock seriously is Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has already addressed her supporters with a fundraising email. “Well, maybe this is all a joke — but we all thought Donald Trump was joking when he rode down the escalator at Trump Tower and announced his campaign, too," Warren said, as reported by the Boston Herald. “And sure, maybe this is just a marketing gimmick for a new album or tour — but we all thought Donald Trump was just promoting his reality TV show, too."
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