Elon Musk and Third Party Support

A recent Fox News National Survey shows that over half of voters support the idea of a third political party, unless it’s tied to a billionaire like Musk. In fact, there’s an 11-point advantage for those who believe a third party is a good idea (53%) compared to those who don’t (42%). However, this marks a significant decline from the 27-point gap observed in 2010.

Breaking it down by party affiliation, independents show a 44-point margin in support, while Democrats back the idea by 20 points. On the other hand, Republicans are less enthusiastic, presenting a close split at 9 points.

Interestingly, there’s been a noticeable decline since 2010 where 50% of voters considered a third party a better option compared to 37%. This shift includes a significant 22-point change among Republicans over the years.

Pollsters Chris Anderson, a Democrat, and Republican Daron Shaw highlight this shift, noting that while past dissatisfaction fostered the Tea Party movement among Republicans and independents, current frustration seems to stem more from Democrats.

However, when it comes to a party led by Musk, many voters have reservations. A whopping 75% stated they would support a party created by billionaires “not much” or “not at all.” Only 22% expressed strong openness to such an idea.

The demographic most inclined to support Musk’s potential party includes men (31% very open), particularly Republican men (41%), those under 45 (38%), and white men without college degrees (36%). Among independents, 32% are very open to the idea, and Republicans show 31% support, significantly higher than Democrats at just 11%.

Many voters express their support for a new major party due to frustrations with the current political landscape. A notable 64% believe Democrats are lacking a clear plan to tackle national issues, with 54% saying the same for the GOP.

The survey also explored how voters feel about third parties. About 60% think they are essential due to the inability of both major parties to meet voter needs, while 59% believe third-party candidates often spoil elections for the major parties.

Both Democrats (59%) and Republicans (66%) are likely to agree that third parties can serve as spoilers, yet independents mostly disagree (60%). Interestingly, a significant number of Democrats (67%) and independents (76%) feel a new party is needed, while Republicans are divided nearly in half on this issue.

When asked about the viability of third-party candidates, 54% think they are generally less qualified than those from the main parties. More Republicans (51%) agreed with this view compared to Democrats (41%) and independents (33%).

Regarding the US political system’s readiness for third parties, a considerable 70% of respondents felt it isn’t equipped, including majorities from all affiliations—73% of Democrats, 66% of Republicans, and 76% of independents.

Shaw summarizes the situation, stating, “This study illustrates the dilemma of third parties in the US. Voters want alternatives, but they don’t especially like the options they see and are hesitant to support candidates they don’t trust.”

This survey was conducted from July 18th to 21st, 2025, involving 1,000 randomly selected registered voters across the country, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.