Famed rocker and admitted Republican Robert Ritchie — aka "Kid Rock" — tweeted Wednesday that he has been asked repeatedly about whether he is going to run for office, specifically for the U.S. Senate. His response? "Absolute YES."
Ritchie has been vocally supportive of Republican politicians in the past, including President Donald Trump, whom he endorsed during the 2016 presidential elections. Ritchie recently made headlines when he visited the White House with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and fellow rocker Ted Nugent. The photos that came out of the visit prompted nasty comments from many on the left.
Talk began circulating about Ritchie's possible run for Senate in February, when the Detroit Free Press reported that Republicans hoped the rocker would challenge to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who has held her seat since 2001.
He even has a Kid Rock for Senate website. On Wednesday, Ritchie tweeted to his 400,000-plus followers: "I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real. ... The answer is an absolute YES."
I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real… https://t.co/RRVgISDFeq The answer is an absolute YES. pic.twitter.com/uYCUg6mjW1
— Kid Rock (@KidRock) July 12, 2017
According to investigative journalist Robert Maguire, however, Ritchie has yet to file any paperwork with the FEC yet, making Ritchie's declaration unofficial.
Robert James Ritchie (Kid Rock) hasn't filed any paperwork with the FEC yet. So, it's not really official yet pic.twitter.com/uqjPcxrmxs
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) July 12, 2017
Furthermore, the link to the website — run by entertainment company Warner Bros. — features only merchandise available for purchase. This adds questions as to whether Ritchie is actually running for office or if this is a publicity stunt to promote an upcoming project.
Should he run, Ritchie is more likely to be a moderate on social issues while conservative on the rest, as he revealed in a 2015 interview with The Guardian.
I am definitely a Republican on fiscal issues and the military, but I lean to the middle on social issues. I am no fan of abortion, but it’s not up to a man to tell a woman what to do. As an ordained minister I don’t look forward to marrying gay people, but I’m not opposed to it.