Elon Musk faces daunting path in challenging US two-party system
David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Florida who left the party over Trump, said Musk can provide what has long been required for such a push: money.
'What the independent space has been lacking has been resources,' Jolly said. 'It's more than filing with the Federal Election Commission. It's really [about] starting 50 state parties. You're talking about $100m (R1.78bn) just to enter the space with real serious intent.'
In 2016 former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, another billionaire, made a similar conclusion, rejecting the idea of running for president as an independent, saying that such a candidate would have 'no chance of winning'.
Jolly estimated it would take Musk 10 years and perhaps $1bn (R17.7bn) to build a viable national party — and said Musk's recent history with his department of government efficiency (Doge) suggests the billionaire may not be in it for the long haul. Musk left Doge after just a few months in Trump's administration, having delivered little of the savings he promised.
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