In a pointed critique of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s unorthodox campaign tactic, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz called out the Tesla CEO’s plan to give away $1 million per day to voters as a reflection of the Trump campaign’s lack of substantive policy plans.
Musk, who has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, recently announced an eyebrow-raising scheme: voters in key swing states could enter a daily $1 million giveaway by signing petitions circulated by his Super PAC. The petitions, Musk claimed, were “in favor of free speech and the right to bear arms” – two hot-button conservative causes.
But according to Walz, the gimmicky nature of Musk’s ploy speaks volumes about the emptiness of the Trump platform. Appearing on ABC’s The View, the Minnesota governor pulled no punches.
“Well, I think that’s what you do when you have no plan for the public,” Walz said of Musk’s million-dollar gambit. “When you have no economic plan that’s going to benefit the middle class, when you have no plan to protect reproductive rights, when you have no plan to address climate change and produce American energy – you go to these types of tactics.”
Questions of Legality Loom
Beyond the political potshots, Walz also hinted at the potential legal dubiousness of Musk’s strategy, which some experts have suggested may amount to a form of vote buying. “I’ll let the lawyers decide,” demurred Walz when pressed on the issue.
It’s not the first time the legality of Musk’s electioneering has been called into question. Previously, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro – a key Biden ally – called for law enforcement to investigate the billionaire’s voter giveaway scheme.
The Democratic ticket, it seems, is intent on painting Musk’s antics as emblematic of a rudderless, idea-starved Trump operation. In the same View appearance, Walz quipped that “one nice thing” about Trump is that “he will not be president again,” and even offered arch advice to GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, counseling him to “just go in and order the chocolate donut” – a reference to Vance’s awkward campaign stop at a local diner.
A Contrast in Approaches
The Walz broadside comes as the Democratic ticket is undertaking a media blitz to sell their vision to voters. Just weeks ago, presidential nominee Kamala Harris used her own View appearance to roll out “Medicare at home,” a plan to help seniors pay for home health aides. The dueling media strategies – giveaways versus policy proposals – offer a stark contrast between the two campaigns.
As the campaigns barrel toward November, expect the fights over tactics – and the boundaries of election law – to only intensify. With Trump and his allies apparently willing to push the envelope, and Democrats eager to cry foul, the battle for the ethical high ground may prove as crucial as any policy debate. For the voters Musk and others are so keen to court, it’s an open question as to which approach will prove more persuasive.
