If Kid Rock Runs, He May Have To Use Real Name

Kid Rock has been teasing a possible run for Senate — but if he decides to get serious, he might have to list his given name on the ballot. That would mean a possible Sen. Robert Ritchie and not Sen. Kid Rock.

In Rock’s home state of Michigan, the election bureau would have to research whether listing a nickname would be allowed, according to Roll Call Monday. Michigan’s law has several stipulations about how a person’s name can be listed on the ballot. The law states that candidates can use their given name and middle name or just a middle name, but forbids a “nickname that is not a recognized diminutive of the candidate’s given name.”

Rock, 46, might want to use his real name and run as a traditional candidate, but that seems unlikely given his outsized personality and how he’s handled the possibility of a potential run so far.

In July, without warning, he confirmed on Twitter that a website called kidrockforsenate.com was real and followed it up by saying he had a major announcement in the future. The website led to a marketplace to buy “Kid Rock for U.S. Senate” T-shirts, hats and signs. The website also asked visitors the question: “Are you scared?”

“As part of the excitement surrounding this possible campaign, I decided to take a hard look to see if there was real support for me as a candidate and my message or if it was just because it was a fresh new news story,” Rock said in a statement on his website in an apparent attempt to clarify his political ambitions.

He added that he wasn’t sure if he was ready to commit to a run, but that wanted to push a voter registration effort.

“We have over a year left until an actual election, so my first order of business is to get people engaged and registered to vote while continuing to put out my ideas on ways to help working class people in Michigan and America all while still calling out these jacka— lawyers who call themselves politicians,” said Rock.

Rock is a vocal fan of another celebrity-turned politician, President Donald Trump, and even visited the White House earlier this year. He would almost certainly run as a Republican and follows in the president’s footsteps with a brash and blustery rhetoric.

“One thing is for sure though…The Democrats are 'shattin’ in their pantaloons' right now…and rightfully so!” said Rock in his note.

If he runs, he would face incumbent Democrat, Sen. Debbie Stabenow who earlier this year was polling at 47 percent approval rating and a 38 percent disapproval rating, according to Morning Consult.