Staff Reports
Elon Musk, the man known for launching rockets and changing how we think about transportation, is diving into the political arena in a big way. He recently handed a whopping $10 million to Nate Morris, a candidate looking to shake things up in the race to replace Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. It seems like Musk is putting his money where his mouth is and backing Morris as he tries to navigate this potentially contentious political battle.
Morris, a former attorney general, believes one of the most pressing issues Kentucky faces is immigration. He isn’t shy about this belief, expressing that he thinks we’ve been in a crisis with illegal immigration for far too long. Morris pointed out that under President Biden’s watch, there’s been an influx of around 20 million undocumented immigrants, and he’s advocating for a moratorium on new immigration until all these individuals find their way back to where they came from. He passionately argues that this issue is the defining challenge of our time and one that Kentuckians should focus on.
Not everyone is thrilled about Musk’s financial backing for Morris. Andy Barr’s campaign manager was quick to respond, claiming that increased funding for Morris would not benefit him and would ultimately solidify a two-man race between Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. However, Morris seems to relish the challenge. He isn’t interested in playing the typical political game that Barr has been involved in for nearly two decades. Instead, he sees himself as an outsider—someone who doesn’t belong to the political elite and believes that new blood is necessary if change is to happen in Washington.
What makes Morris stand out is his background as an entrepreneur. He founded a large waste management company, starting with a mere $10,000 credit line and growing it into a robust business generating almost $700 million in revenue. He’s proud of his outsider status, claiming that people like him—those who have built businesses and endured the struggles of the entrepreneurial journey—are the ones who will truly get results for the country. This perspective is something he believes Musk recognizes, as a fellow business-minded individual, and it plays into his campaign strategy.
While it’s clear that Morris would love to earn an endorsement from Trump, he’s not banking on it. He plans to run a strong, vigorous campaign regardless, focusing on showcasing his vision for change to the people of Kentucky. With Musk’s high-profile backing, Morris is certainly a candidate to watch, as he aims to bring a fresh perspective to a Senate seat that has seen a lot of the same faces for far too long. If there’s one thing for sure, it’s that the race to replace Mitch McConnell just got a lot more interesting.
