Elon Musk Funds Vivek Ramaswamy’s Bid for Ohio Governor Despite Their DOGE Clashes - EUROPE SAYS
In the weeks after President TrumpnamedElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency,the two men and their allies developed a frosty relationship. Just as Mr. Trump. . .
In the weeks after President TrumpnamedElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency,the two men and their allies developed a frosty relationship. Just as Mr. Trump was inaugurated last January, Mr. Ramaswamy left the initiative, aimed at downsizing the federal work force, before it began, and Mr. Musk took charge. But they seem to have buried the hatchet: Mr. Musk, the world’s richest person, donated $5 million in May to back Mr. Ramaswamy’s bid to be governor of Ohio, according to a campaign-finance filing made public on Wednesday. The donation is another sign of Mr. Musk’s engagement in the midterm elections despite hisapparent disillusionmentwith Republican politics over the past couple of years. He has now spent at least $90 million this election cycle, becoming one of its largest donors. His biggest bet this year was on Nate Morris, a Senate candidate in Kentucky, who dropped out of the primary race aftera Musk-backed super PAC spent $10 millionto help him. Mr. Musk has also funded his own super PAC, America PAC, which has taken on a lower profile since spending heavily ina failed effort to elect a conservative judgeto Wisconsin’s top court last year. And he has donated millions to super PACs backing Republican candidates for the Senate and the House, as well as to Mr. Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc. Mr. Muskposted on Xlast February that Mr. Ramaswamy had his “full endorsement” in his bid for Ohio governor, but Mr. Musk had not yet donated to support Mr. Ramaswamy’s campaign. The newly disclosed donation went to a super PAC backing Mr. Ramaswamy’s bid, V-PAC. That group has also drawn $20 million in support from the hedge fund investor Jeff Yass, one of the few conservative megadonors whose political giving is close to matching Mr. Musk’s. Another $1 million came from the hedge fund investor Bill Ackman in June. Mr. Ramaswamy is set to square off in November against Amy Acton, a Democratic former state health official, in what isexpectedto be one of the country’s most competitive races for governor. A wealthy entrepreneur himself, Mr. Ramaswamy put $25 million of his own money into his bid, giving him a sizable financial advantage in a state that has become solidly red in recent elections. Mr. Ramaswamy’s support from Mr. Musk was never guaranteed. Their fractious relationship during the presidential transition was rooted indifferent philosophiesabout how to best reduce the deficit. Mr. Ramaswamy dreamed of achieving cuts through deregulation. But Mr. Musk had a more drastic vision, focusing on tearing down entire agencies. There were also personal differences between the two men: Last January, The New York Times reported that Mr. Musk had beensharply criticalof Mr. Ramaswamy in private conversations. Tags:americacampaign financeelectionselongeopoliticsGovernorsMuskohioPolitical Action CommitteesPoliticsRamaswamyUnited Statesunited states of americaUnited States PoliticsUSUS PoliticsUSAusa politicsVivek (1985- )