What is the story about?
Elon Musk has decided to donate $10 million, to back Nate Morris, a businessman-turned-politician, who's positioning himself as a fresh face in Republican
politics. It's Musk's largest ever to a single Senate hopeful. Morris, who's running to replace retiring Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, represents an outsider challenge in a state where Republicans have a strong grip. With Musk's money flowing into a super PAC supporting him, the campaign is getting a serious jolt right out of the gate.
From Entrepreneur to Political Contender
At 45, Nate Morris is no stranger to starting from scratch. A ninth-generation Kentuckian, he built Rubicon, a major player in the waste and recycling industry, from the ground up. Back in 2008, he kicked things off with just a $10,000 line of credit, turning it into one of the country's biggest companies in that space. The fact that he is a ninth-generation Kentuckian has been a key part of his appeal, especially to donors like Musk, as per a report from Axios.Morris jumped into the Senate race last year during an interview on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast, where he laid out his hardline views on immigration. He's framing his bid as a break from the old guard, taking direct aim at McConnell's long tenure. People close to the campaign say Morris plans to pour his own money into the effort, at least through the May primary, to keep things rolling, as per the report.
He has responded to the reports of Musk donating his campaign $10 million by writing on X "Proud to have
@elonmusk join @berniemoreno, @Jim_Banks, @TPAction and the late great @charliekirk11 in supporting our campaign."
Why Musk Is Betting Big
What caught Musk's eye? During a recent chat, the Tesla and SpaceX boss was drawn to Morris's entrepreneurial story and his willingness to shake things up in Washington. Musk, who had a public spat with President Trump last year and even floated the idea of a third party, has since realigned firmly with Republicans. He's close to Vice President JD Vance, who considers Morris a personal friend, which likely helped seal the deal.Read more: Elon Musk Demands Up to $134 Billion From OpenAI, Microsoft in Explosive AI Lawsuit
This $10 million check, handed over last week to the Fight for Kentucky super PAC, tops anything Musk has given before to a Senate race. It's part of a broader pattern: Musk was the top donor in the 2024 elections, shelling out nearly $300 million mostly to back Trump and other GOP causes. Recently, he also cut big checks to super PACs aimed at protecting Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
Musk has been telling GOP strategists he intends to keep the cash coming. That could make him a game-changer in tight races, especially as costs for campaigns skyrocket.
