Yang Pitches Third Party To Musk
Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has reached out to Elon Musk to propose a collaboration on forming a new political party, aiming to break the stranglehold of America’s polarized two-party system. In an interview with Politico Magazine, Yang revealed his vision for a centrist movement that could appeal to the “80% in the middle” of the political spectrum—a vision Musk recently echoed in a viral X poll where 80% of 5.6 million respondents supported the idea .
The Pitch: A Party for the “Exhausted Majority”
Yang, founder of the Forward Party, argues that the U.S. political system has devolved from dysfunction into outright toxicity, with independents now the fastest-growing voter bloc. His sales pitch to Musk hinges on three pillars:
- Dignity, Dynamism, and Democracy: Policies focused on practical solutions rather than ideological purity, such as electoral reforms (e.g., ranked-choice voting) and economic adaptations to AI-driven disruptions .
- Leveraging Musk’s Influence: Yang praised Musk’s ability to build “world-class companies from an idea” and suggested his resources—both financial and through X’s platform—could accelerate the party’s growth. Musk’s recent feud with Donald Trump over fiscal irresponsibility (e.g., opposing deficit-increasing bills) aligns with Yang’s critique of both parties’ failure to address national debt .
- Coalition of Odd Bedfellows: The Forward Party already includes centrist Republicans like former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, signaling a “big tent” approach. Yang acknowledged disagreements with Musk (e.g., on COVID-19 policies) but emphasized shared goals like sustainability and universal basic income (UBI), which Musk endorsed during Yang’s 2020 campaign .
Challenges and Opportunities
- Musk’s Polarization: While Musk’s poll suggests broad support for a third party, his hard-right turn in recent years (e.g., backing DeSantis, criticizing “wokeness”) could alienate center-left voters. Yang downplayed this, framing Musk as a non-ideological pragmatist frustrated by partisan gridlock .
- Structural Hurdles: The U.S. electoral system heavily favors Democrats and Republicans. Yang’s strategy focuses on local races (70% of which are uncontested) and ballot-access reforms, though the Forward Party currently has official recognition in only seven states .
What’s Next?
Yang remains optimistic despite Musk’s silence so far, joking, “Waiting another 24 hours is nothing” after years of advocating for a new party. He hinted at upcoming summer announcements and teased potential high-profile independent candidates, like Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, as models for the movement .
The Bottom Line: A Yang-Musk alliance faces steep odds, but their shared critique of the two-party system—and Musk’s vast resources—could make this the most viable third-party effort in decades. Whether it unites the “exhausted majority” or collapses under ideological contradictions remains to be seen.
For further details, read Yang’s full interview in Politico Magazine and Musk’s X poll on the “America Party” .
