Elon Musk speaks on stage at a town hall in McKees Rocks near Pittsburgh Oct. 20, 2024 (Photo by Jason Phox for the Capital-Star)
MCKEES ROCKS — U.S. GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick joined SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk at a town hall near Pittsburgh on Sunday, the latest in a series of events meant to bolster voter turnout in Pennsylvania for former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee for president.
Musk gave a $1 million check to a member of the audience, part of a plan he announced Saturday to give away $1 million every day to a registered Pennsylvania voter until the election. To be eligible, people have to sign a petition pledging to support the First and Second Amendments. Sunday’s winner, Kristine Fishell, wore a Trump/Vance t-shirt, and hugged Musk upon reaching the stage.
“Your wealth and responsibility, you are using to save speech, and we all appreciate it, we really do,” Fishell said.
Musk’s giveaway has raised questions about whether it’s legal. Gov. Josh Shapiro said on Meet the Press Sunday that it was “deeply concerning.”
“I think it’s something that law enforcement could take a look at. I’m not the attorney general anymore in Pennsylvania, I’m the governor, but it does raise some serious questions,” Shapiro said.
Wearing a Terrible Towel on his shoulder, Musk introduced McCormick to cheers from the crowd at the Roxian Theater in McKees Rocks.
“I’ve lived the American dream,” McCormick said, noting that his wife is an immigrant, and noting that while he has six kids it’s not as many as Musk. who has 12 children. “ We want to make sure the American Dream is available for our kids. Make sure that freedom, the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, are protected, our Constitution is protected, and save the America we all love for our kids, and this guy’s leading the charge.”
Our commonwealth and country deserve change.
In 16 days, our movement will deliver it.
Great to have @elonmusk here in Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/pgv8ctZQoq
— Dave McCormick (@DaveMcCormickPA) October 20, 2024
Musk said it was “absolutely essential” to win the Senate. McCormick is challenging three-term Democrat Bob Casey, who has consistently led in the polls.
TaNisha Cameron, Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesperson said McCormick’s record “of putting his bottom line ahead of working Pennsylvanians is disqualifying,” adding that “Pennsylvanians can’t trust him to be for them.”
Musk claimed, without offering evidence, that Democrats “sort of really openly advocate overturning elements of the Constitution, especially the right to bear arms and freedom of speech. It’s open sedition and nobody does anything about it, but that’s why we have to have a clean sweep of those who… will uphold the Constitution.”
Musk urged registered Republicans who have received a mail-in ballot but have not cast their vote to do so. After McCormick left the stage, Musk answered questions from the audience, opining on issues including artificial intelligence and abortion. He didn’t say he would support a national ban on abortion, calling it a “nuanced” issue.
Everyone in the audience was required to sign the First and Second Amendment petition as a condition of entry. Despite the stipulations, a long line formed outside the venue before the doors opened.
Harrison Michael Burckart, 19, from Mercer County but who lives in Pittsburgh, said he welcomes Musk’s participation in the election.
“I think a lot of people look up to him and maybe wouldn’t have voted or would’ve voted a different way,” Burckart said. “And now that he’s saying this, people are going to see things differently.”
Musk has additionally made a contribution of around $75 million to his pro-Trump America PAC in recent months, bringing his total spending this election cycle to over $119 million.
Since taking the stage and declaring himself “Dark MAGA” while sporting a matching hat at a Trump rally in Butler on October 5, Musk has used his platform, X, to disseminate a wave of misinformation about the federal response, seemingly aimed at undermining Democrats.
Originally a registered Democrat, 58-year-old Manny Manikbhojwan from Mount Lebanon attended the event hoping to see if Musk could convince him to vote for Trump, but remained undecided.
“I think if you’re a Democrat, you just hate Trump, and you don’t want to vote for him. That’s what I see in most people on the other side,” said Manikbhojwan. “The Republicans are the same way. It’s very tribal. I don’t know what they’re undecided about. I think the choices are pretty clear. There’s not a lot of gray here at this point.“
The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania is October 21. Pennsylvania voters can submit applications for mail-in ballots until October 29.