Bobby Dodge, a Tennessee small‑business owner, is running in the special election for the state’s 7th Congressional District, seeking to become the first member of Congress associated with Elon Musk’s America Party, despite the group not having ballot access in Tennessee or any other state.
Dodge announced his candidacy on Thursday, August 14, stating in a press release that he wants to be a voice for Americans frustrated with partisan gridlock and will focus on fiscal discipline, government accountability, and pragmatic reforms. His background includes studies in political science, an internship on Capitol Hill, and volunteer work at the Reagan Library, all of which contributed to his disillusionment “with the gap between public rhetoric and private action.”
“For years, both parties have kept problems alive to fundraise while the debt explodes,” Dodge said in his statement. “The America Party idea is about the middle 80%, putting people over party, restoring fiscal sanity, and demanding measurable results instead of political theater.”
According to his campaign, Dodge plans to rely heavily on direct voter outreach and social media, publishing issue videos on X and YouTube to engage what he calls the “middle majority.” His stated platform includes commitments to affordable healthcare, education reform, infrastructure investment, and environmental stewardship. He also released a launch video on YouTube further discussing his reasons for running.
As the America Party, which Elon Musk formally launched last month, is not recognized in Tennessee, Dodge filed to run as an independent candidate. Under state law, new parties must submit a petition with signatures equal to 2.5 percent of the total votes cast in the most recent governor’s race to gain ballot access.
By contrast, to run as an independent candidate, Dodge needed only 25 valid signatures from registered voters in the district. He will now bypass the October 7 special primary for recognized parties and proceed directly to the December 2 general election. Dodge said that if elected, he will “immediately” declare his affiliation with the America Party.
The 7th District seat has been vacant since July 20, when Republican Rep. Mark Green resigned to take a job in the private sector. The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of the term through 2026. As of this article, numerous other candidates have qualified for either the primary or general election ballot alongside Dodge, including several independents.
That, and the lack of basic party infrastructure even now makes me suspect Musk was running hot when he made his initial announcement.
Yet…https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/elon-musk-third-political-party-69bf9bd8?mod=hp_lead_pos3
The claim is that he doesn’t want to step on Vance’s toes, plus the Entitled Vote Fallacy.
The reality is that he discovered that ballot access is a b***h.
FYI: the Qualifying deadline was Noon on August 12
Primary election is October 7
General election is December 2