The move suggests that Mr. Musk, the world’s richest person, is preparing to become even more involved in the presidential campaign and beyond.
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The hire marks a distinct strategic change for Mr. Musk, who has been a mercurial political and philanthropic donor for years.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has hired a Republican operative with expertise in field organizing to help steer his political work, a move that suggests that Mr. Musk is preparing to become even more involved in Republican politics and get-out-the-vote efforts specifically.
Chris Young, most recently a senior political official at PhRMA, the trade association of the pharmaceutical industry that does some grass-roots organizing, is joining Mr. Musk’s team, according to three people briefed on the move. They spoke on condition of anonymity because it was not public.
The hire reflects a less whimsical approach to political involvement for Mr. Musk. The Tesla, X and SpaceX leader has been a mercurial political and philanthropic donor for years, frustrating some in the conservative movement. He has just a few key relationships in Washington: Mr. Musk is particularly close with Kevin McCarthy, the former speaker of the House, who himself is close with Mr. Young professionally.
Mr. Young has worked for the trade group since 2020 after rising through the ranks of Republican field organizing. A native of Louisiana, he began his career working as a field organizer for former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s operation before becoming the national field director for the Republican National Committee during the 2016 cycle.
Mr. Young was once the head of Engage Texas, a voter-registration nonprofit in the state funded by major Republican donors. Field organizing has been a priority of Mr. Musk, who like Mr. Young lives in Texas, during his recent foray into campaign politics. Mr. Musk, for instance, at one point privately dismissed television advertising and argued that donors should simply fund programs that convince voters, two at a time, to back Mr. Trump.
Mr. Young declined to comment. Mr. Musk and Jared Birchall, the head of Excession, Mr. Musk’s family office, did not return a request for comment.
Political “donor-advisers” function as both gatekeepers and consiglieres, and ultrarich donors typically hire them when they are preparing to make significant political contributions over the long term.
Part of Mr. Young’s job will be to serve as Mr. Musk’s eyes and ears at a super PAC that Mr. Musk started but has undergone some turbulence. America PAC is focused on Republican voter turnout, but the group effectively shelved its entire field operation after just a few weeks, following the super PAC’s hiring of a powerful Republican consulting firm. The group’s new leadership has since restarted its field program.
Kenneth P. Vogel contributed reporting.
Theodore Schleifer writes about campaign finance and the influence of billionaires in American politics. More about Theodore Schleifer
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Source: nytimes.com
