Elon Musk uses Twitter to urge Americans to vote Republican in US midterms

The billionaire has been critical of the Biden administration and Democrats for their proposals to tax the wealthy

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Democrat rally in Washington, as President Joe Biden and their spouses Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff listen. Bloomberg

Bill Gates, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, speaks at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. Former astronaut and Democratic candidate Mark Kelly defeated his Republican rival in Arizona's senate race. Reuters

Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer, left, opens mail-in ballots at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. Ballots were being counted in Maricopa County three days after voters went to the polls for the midterm election in Arizona. AFP

Election workers open mail-in ballots at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP

Staff scan ballots for the US midterm elections at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. Reuters

Election workers open mail-in ballots at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP

In a divided America, a political campaign sign sits abandoned at the roadside in Phoenix, Arizona, two days after the midterms. AFP

Ballots are processed in Las Vegas. Getty Images

Election officials give a press conference in Maricopa County, Arizona, where ballots were still being counted two days after the midterms. AFP

Ballots are carried to be scanned in Philadelphia. Reuters

Mr Biden was all smiles during a news conference in the White House. Bloomberg

An election worker sorts ballots in Las Vegas. AFP

Election workers sort ballots at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre. AFP

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger holds a news conference in Atlanta. AP

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso gets a hug on stage at his election night headquarters in Los Angeles. AP

Paul Riley, father of Josh Riley, bows his head as election results come in at his son's election party in Binghamton, New York. Josh Riley, the Democratic candidate, ran against Republican Marc Molinaro. AP

Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks during election night in Detroit. AP

Supporters cheer during an election night event for Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr Fetterman defeated Republican Senate candidate Dr Mehmet Oz. AFP

Supporters watch news of a projected victory for Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Reuters

Republican J D Vance arrives with his wife Usha to declare victory in the Senatorial race in Columbus, Ohio. Reuters

New York Governor Kathy Hochul attends an event to celebrate her victory in the US midterm elections. Reuters

Representative Abigail Spanberger, of the Democratic party, speaks to supporters after her re-election, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. AP

Democrat Wes Moore, second from left, hugs his daughter, Mia, centre, as his mother, Joy Thomas Moore, left, son, Jamie, second from right, and wife, Dawn, look on, after he was declared the winner of the Maryland race for governor. AP

A supporter of Republican candidate Lee Zeldin reacts as media outlets predict results, in the race for governor, in favour of Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul. AP

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt celebrates his re-election, at a Republican Party watch party in Oklahoma City. AP

Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia Stacey Abrams speaks during her 2022 US midterm elections night party in Atlanta, Georgia. Her rival Brian Kemp won. Reuters

A woman arrives before Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters during an election night party in Tampa. AP

Voters wait in line at a polling station at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs in Austin, Texas. AP

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A jogger runs past the Capitol Building in Washington. The US midterm elections are held every four years at the midpoint of each presidential term. EPA

Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis waves from the stage next to his wife Casey and children during his midterm elections party in Tampa. Reuters

A man in costume arrives for a Republican party 'Save America' rally before the US midterm elections, in Miami, Florida. AFP

US President Joe Biden, centre, poses for a selfie with supporters during a rally for Democratic candidates, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. AFP

A man marks his ballot during early voting in Lansing, Michigan. Reuters

A child attends a rally held by US President Joe Biden with Democratic nominee for Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senator Chris Van Hollen and other Maryland Democrats, at Bowie State University. Reuters

Supporters cheer during a rally for Democratic candidates at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. AFP

State Representative Leslie Rossi poses by a giant cutout of former US President Donald Trump in front of the "Trump House", which she owns and created in 2016, in Youngstown, Pennsylvania. AFP

Republican candidate for US Senate for Arizona Blake Masters speaks at a rally in Queen Creek, Arizona. EPA

People in the crowd cheer during a campaign rally at Bowie State University in Maryland, which was attended President Joe Biden, the first lady, Jill Biden, Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and Senator Chris Van Hollen. AP

Republican candidate for Arizona governor Kari Lake arrives for a campaign stop, in Phoenix. Reuters

Morgan Koetje and Nickolas Lentz from Reproductive Freedom for All, canvass a neighborhood in support of Proposal 3, a ballot measure that would codify the right to an abortion, one day before the midterm election in Dewitt, Michigan. Reuters

Republican candidate for US Senate Herschel Walker takes a picture with supporters in Kennesaw, Georgia during a "Unite Georgia Bus Stop" campaign rally on the eve of the midterm elections. AFP

Republican Senate candidate Val Demings speaks to supporters in Wilton Manors, Florida. AP

Senate hopeful Mehmet Oz addresses campaign rally in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. AP

Former president Donald Trump speaks at a rally in support of the campaign of Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance, at Dayton International Airport. AP

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive for the rally at Bowie State University, in Maryland. AP

Voters pass by a sign outside a polling site in Warwick, Rhode Island after casting their ballots on the last day of early voting before the midterm election. AP

Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams speaks to volunteers during an election eve phone and text bank party in Atlanta. AP

US Vice President Kamala Harris, left, points to Los Angeles mayoral candidate Representative Karen Bass, after speaking at a rally in Los Angeles. AP

Twitter's new owner Elon Musk has urged Americans to back Republican candidates in the US midterm elections on Tuesday to counterbalance President Joe Biden's Democrats.

"Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic," Mr Musk said in a tweet on Monday to his more than 110 million followers.

Republicans are favourites to win a majority in the House of Representatives, with the Senate thought to be a toss-up by nonpartisan election forecasters, Reuters reported.

Democrats currently control both houses.

Mr Musk, the world's richest person and chief executive of Tesla, took over Twitter in a $44 billion deal last month and has engaged in drastic measures, including firing half of its staff and planning to charge for blue check verification marks.

His absolutist stance on free speech has led some groups to warn against a rise in misinformation and some advertisers to pull their spending. A crackdown on users impersonating Mr Musk prompted Twitter to suspend US comedienne Kathy Griffin.

Later, he added that he was "open to the idea of voting Democrat again in the future" and said he had historically been an independent who had voted for Democrats.

Mr Musk has been critical of the Biden administration and Democrats for their proposals to tax billionaires and give more tax incentives to union-made electric vehicles. Tesla does not have unions at its US factories.

Republicans could use a majority in either chamber to bring Mr Biden's agenda to a halt and launch potentially politically damaging investigations into his administration and family.

Kyle Kondik, from the University of Virginia's Centre for Politics, said it was unlikely Mr Musk's words would influence the election's outcome.

Asked about Mr Musk's comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: "The president has often spoken about the importance of voting, and I'm just going to leave it there as to not get involved in any kind of election conversation."

Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich described Musk's comments as "very encouraging".