Shameless plug or legitimate political run? Kid Rock hints at U.S. Senate campaign
With slogans like "In Rock We Trust," "Pimp of the Nation" and "I'll Rock the Party," it's hard to imagine Kid Rock as a stuffy politician pontificating on tax policy or defense spending.
But there was the Macomb County rocker tweeting a link to a website — KidRockforSenate.com. It featured a photo of him lounging in a leather jacket atop a velvet blue and gold star chair next to a stuffed deer. Beneath the picture were the words "Are you scared?"
He also said on Twitter that "I have had a ton of e-mails and texts asking me if this website is real… http://kidrockforsenate.com The answer is an absolute YES."
Lansing political consultant Tom Shields said nothing surprises him about politics anymore.
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"I thought Trump was kidding when he first got in the presidential race, but I’m not surprised by anything anymore," he said. "And Kid Rock has been to the White House, which is more than most of us can say."
It wouldn't matter that the rocker has a boatload of baggage, from frequent crude insults to a brief marriage to bombshell actress Pamela Anderson, to a picture he tweeted out just a few hours before his Senate tease, showing him flipping an unseen person the bird.
"Normal political baggage does not apply here. You’re not going to beat him because he dropped an F-bomb somewhere," Shields said. "Traditional political rules don't apply."
Kid Rock said he'll have a "major announcement" soon and the website's store features merchandise ranging from a $4.99 bumper sticker to a $24.99 T-shirt.
Not to mention the fact that if he did run, the musician would have to take a break from campaigning for a few days in April, when he hosts the annual four-day Kid Rock's Chillin' the Most Cruise that sails from Miami.
The incumbent Democrat — U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow — took the possible opponent in stride.
"I know we both share a love of music. I concede he is better at playing the guitar, and I'll keep doing what I do best, which is fighting for Michigan," she said in a statement.
While Kid Rock may be a household name in pop music circles, his ID among voters may not be as strong as he thinks, raising questions about how viable a candidate he could be.
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A Senate race in Michigan against Stabenow — who has won three terms including beating an incumbent Republican in 2000 — wouldn't be easy and would require any candldate trying to replace her to spend a lot of time courting voters at town halls, rallies and debates, as well as developing a media strategy.
Being close to President Donald Trump — considering his low favorability numbers in Michigan — may be as much a hindrance as a help in a general election. Finally, state Republicans — who already have two viable candidates declared in businesswoman Lena Epstein and former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Young — may feel that a more crowded field could split the vote and hurt their chances of coalescing behind a single candidate to defeat Stabenow.
In the spirit of the moment, Epstein responded in a statement: “Hey Kid: Welcome 2 the party! I hope we have the opportunity to campaign across the state together and talk about all the reasons we need to take the fight directly to Debbie Stabenow.”
Shields has his doubts about a rocker in the U.S. Senate. The website doesn't carry the necessary disclaimers, there are no filings with the Federal Election Commission and he copyrighted the slogan.
"It sounds like a new tour to me," he said.
Wes Nakagiri, a Livingston County Republican, wistfully got the Kid Rock rumor rolling in February when he spoke of hoping to draft Kid Rock, a.k.a. Robert Ritchie, to challenge Stabenow in 2018.
Kid Rock, along with fellow musician "Motor City Madman" Ted Nugent and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin were dinner guests of President Donald Trump in April. He's also made appearances on behalf of Republican candidates, including Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard — when he ran for the U.S. Senate — and Trump.
Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.