Who?
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)
LISTEN: Laslo & Mullin
Ask a Pol asks:
What do you make of Elon Musk turning on Republicans and announcing this new, third “America Party”?
Key Mullin:
“Oh, I wouldn’t say he's turning on us, he's a right to his opinion,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin exclusively tells Ask a Pol, “but turning on us would go back to the dark side: the Democrats.”
It doesn't look like he’s going to support the GOP in the 2026 midterms, but you’re not worried?
“No,” Mullin says. “I still say he's a great entrepreneur, but a great entrepreneur doesn't make you great in politics.”
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Mullin not letting Musk divorce GOP yet
Caught our ear:
The Department of Government Efficiency, “DOGE is going to be around for a long time,” Mullin tells us, “even if the Democrats don't call it DOGE when they're back in charge one day.”
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (7-10-2025)
SCENE: After a Senate vote, Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches Senator Mullin briefly as he waits for one of the US Capitol’s underground trams.
Apologies, Laslo’s mic is booting up as he asks the Ask a Pol community’s question…
Matt Laslo: What do you make of Elon Musk turning on Republicans and “…starting his own third party?”
Markwayne Mullin: “Oh, I wouldn’t say he's turning on us, he's a right to his opinion…”
Laslo laughs.
ICYMI — Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo used this interview in a feature for one of his wire service, The LCB, clients
ML: “I mean…”
MM: “But turning on us would go back to the dark side: the Democrats.”
ML: “I mean, he’s not going to be supporting Republicans it doesn't seem like. You’re not worried at all?”
MM: “No. He's a — I still say he's a great entrepreneur…”
ML: “Yeah?”
MM: “…but a great entrepreneur doesn't make you great in politics.”
ML: “Yeah? Did you think he was a failure in his little political stint?”
Underground Senate tram pulls up.
MM: “Oh, no. Absolutely not. I mean, listen, DOGE is going to be around for a long time, even if the Democrats don't call it DOGE when they're back in charge one day.”
Another senator rings the bell calling an older, attendant-operated tram.
ML: “Yeah?”
MM: “It was still something that should be done, and it promises to expose a lot of waste and fraud and so on and whatnot. But as far as what he does politically, that's up to him. I respect whatever he does. He's a...”
Mullin enters the tram.
ML: “Your former colleague [in the House] Melanie Stansbury helped set up that office like a decade ago.”
ICYMI — Stansbury has thoughts on Elon Musk…
MM: “Yeah, see.”
ML: “Yeah. It's interesting. Have a good one.”
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