When the news broke on Thursday that Kid Rock — real name Robert James Richie — might run for the Senate in Michigan, members of the media were understandably skeptical.
Now the rocker wants you to know that he is very serious.
In a statement that opened by pointing out that he still has more than two weeks to file his paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (which he has not yet done), Ritchie proclaimed that "like politicians write books during their campaigns, I'm planning on putting out music during mine and IT ALL STARTS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT."
The notion of running a campaign based on music rather than speeches is... novel, but Ritchie insists that "it's not a hoax, it's a strategy and marketing 101!"
In response to the very unorthodox — and possibly forbidden — practice of selling his campaign merchandise through a Warner Bros. Records registered website, Ritchie notes, "I’m not signed to Warner Bros!!! - which simple fact-checking would have revealed. I have recently worked out a unique deal with BMG, Broken Bow, CAA and Live Nation to release music ON MY TERMS." While that deal may be the case, it still runs counter to his promotion of the website, which, again, is hosted by Warner Bros.
Ritchie also took a swipe at Senator Debbie Stabenow, the Democrat he would be running against. While agreeing that they both love music ("although probably not the same kind"),Ritchie said that "I concede she is better at playing politics than I am so I'll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS and letting politicians like her know that We the People are sick and tired of their bullshit!"
At the end, Ritchie signed off with a series of hashtags including (of course) #fakenews.
It remains to be seen whether Ritchie will be able to make his seemingly-absurd bid for high political office into a reality, much like President Donald Trump before him. The situation remains, at the very least, confusing.
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