Republicans need a rebrand on the environment. Tesla is the perfect vehicle. | Opinion
If Republicans are going to tie themselves so closely to Elon Musk, why not become the party that leads the green energy revolution?
Historically, the primary consumer of electric cars has been Democrats. In fact, Democrat-leaning voters were significantly more likely to purchase electric vehicles as recently as last year, and Republican politicians have historically been critical of the liberals' push for electric cars.
That all changed when Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined the American right in the culture war and cozied up to the second Trump administration. In deciding to delve into right-wing politics, Musk either miscalculated who Tesla’s customer base was or didn’t care about the short-term repercussions of left-wingers abandoning his vehicles.
Either way, Tesla stocks have been in such a free fall that at least one major investor has demanded a new CEO.
This gives Musk and the Republican Party an opportunity, given how attached Musk is to President Donald Trump. By alienating his old liberal customer base, Musk may have a chance to expand into a new one. But Republican policymakers have work to do before that can happen.
Will Republicans begin to embrace climate policy through EVs?
The potential for change on this issue goes deeper than just Tesla. The right has desperately needed a rebrand on the environment for years, and Tesla could be the perfect catalyst for their voters to come around on the issue.
For years, the attitude on climate change on the right ranged from outright denial to apathy. But in recent years, the Republican Party has become more open to policies geared toward clean energy. Even as Trump slashes regulations, a significant faction within the party is expressing support for clean energy tax credits.
The climate initiatives of the left have become a punching bag for Republicans in the past, but recognizing the flaws in those policies could deliver wins for Republicans.
Democrats have allowed their own social justice platforms to interfere with coherent climate policy for years. They provide tax credits for electric vehicles but exempt manufacturers like Tesla for political reasons.
Similarly, Democrats have long been reluctant to embrace nuclear power, the only energy source that is both environmentally friendly and viable on a large scale. Republicans have highlighted this hypocrisy for years but are yet to incorporate a solidified counter to that into their platform.
There is room for Republican leaders to sell their constituents on green energy and vehicles. By contrasting the Democrats as insincere vessels for such policy, motivated by culture rather than actual green change, they can differentiate themselves on an issue extremely important to young Americans.
Musk embracing the MAGA movement could be a catalyst for that to happen. The more Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz associate themselves with Tesla, the more the brand of top-of-the-line electric vehicles becomes intertwined in the GOP as a status symbol.
Musk is causing waves throughout the GOP base in some places, and politicians should be wary of attaching any long-term policy goal to such a volatile figure.
Hopefully, these industries will find ways to market themselves to Republicans. Regardless, the GOP should embrace green energy in order to appeal to young Americans.
Young voters care about climate. Republicans should keep pursuing them.
Roughly 85% of Americans ages 16-25 note climate as a top issue for them, and Republicans have historically underperformed on the issue.
For a long time, voters saw Republicans as diametrically opposed to climate action, but some groups show that is not the case. While organizations like the American Conservation Coalition have been around for years, putting together coherent conservative policy on global warming, the GOP has yet to run on climate issues.
If the Republican Party wants to continue expanding its influence over young voters, the next step is to embrace green policies that fit within the conservative framework. Embracing smart solutions to climate, such as nuclear energy, is the way to do that.
In order to convince this group of voters that conservatives can be trusted on the issue, they need to explain why the left is misguided on the matter of climate and how they will do things differently rather than simply opposing the actions of Democrats.
If they want to keep expanding their voter base into the youth voters of America, conservatives should embrace issues that are important to them. It seems that Republican leaders are intent on doing so, so they should look to climate policy as one of the next frontiers for the party.
Dace Potas is an opinion columnist for Paste BN and a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in political science.