Editing Kid Rock (section)

==Politics and views==
[[File:President Trump Signs an Executive Order in the Oval Office, Mar. 31, 2025 (2160p 60fps AV1-128kbit AAC).webm|thumb|Rock and [[Donald Trump]] in the [[Oval Office]], March 2025]]
Ritchie is a supporter of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]],<ref name="theg">[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jan/03/kid-rock-this-much-i-know ''Kid Rock: This Much I Know''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308015457/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jan/03/kid-rock-this-much-i-know |date=March 8, 2018 }}. [[The Guardian]]. 3 January 2015.</ref> although he has routinely proclaimed himself as [[Libertarianism in the United States|libertarian]] philosophically,<ref name=HuffPost2013/><ref name=RollingStoneTrump/><ref name="reason">{{cite web |date=February 9, 2015 |title=Kid Rock: "Fiscally, I'm Republican. But the social issues kill me — gay marriage and abortion. It's like, Come on, man, get off it." |url=http://reason.com/blog/2015/02/09/kid-rock-fiscally-im-republican-but-the |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128021055/http://reason.com/blog/2015/02/09/kid-rock-fiscally-im-republican-but-the |archive-date=January 28, 2018 |access-date=February 1, 2018 |website=Reason.com}}</ref> stating he has [[Social liberalism|socially liberal]] views on topics like abortion and gay marriage but [[Fiscal conservatism|conservative views on economics]].<ref name=reason/> Ritchie has advocated legalizing and taxing [[marijuana]], [[cocaine]], and [[heroin]].<ref name=Guardian/> He has also stated, "I don't think crazy people should have guns."<ref name=Guardian/> He was a vocal supporter of American military involvement in the [[Iraq War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/kid-rock-talks-war-with-iraq-peace-with-tommy-lee/|title=Kid Rock Talks War With IRAQ, Peace With TOMMY LEE|date=February 24, 2003|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=December 10, 2019|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210195230/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/kid-rock-talks-war-with-iraq-peace-with-tommy-lee/|url-status=live}}</ref> Ritchie has met with presidents [[Bill Clinton]], [[Barack Obama]], and [[Donald Trump]] while they were in office.<ref name=RollingStoneLowTimes/><ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Kid-Rock-I-have-no-hard-feelings-towards-Barack-Obama/tabid/418/articleID/279423/Default.aspx| work= 3 News NZ| title= Kid Rock: 'I have no hard feelings towards Barack Obama'| date= December 6, 2012| access-date= December 5, 2012| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130728073320/http://www.3news.co.nz/Kid-Rock-I-have-no-hard-feelings-towards-Barack-Obama/tabid/418/articleID/279423/Default.aspx| archive-date= July 28, 2013| url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name="New York Times">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/us/politics/sarah-palin-kid-rock-ted-nugent-white-house.html?_r=0|title=4 Hours at the White House With Ted Nugent, Sarah Palin and Kid Rock|date=April 20, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=April 21, 2017|archive-date=April 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422232954/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/us/politics/sarah-palin-kid-rock-ted-nugent-white-house.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> Regarding his political views, Ritchie said, "I have friends everywhere. [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], this that and the other. ... We're all human beings first, Americans second. Let's find some common ground and get along." During his speech at the [[WWE Hall of Fame (2018)|2018 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony]], he stated that he wanted to "body slam some Democrats".<ref>Durr, Matt. [https://articles.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/04/kid_rock_at_wwe_ceremony_jokes.amp Kid Rock at WWE ceremony jokes: 'I just want to bodyslam some Democrats'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408062100/https://articles.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/04/kid_rock_at_wwe_ceremony_jokes.amp |date=April 8, 2018 }} (April 7, 2018).</ref>

Ritchie supported Bill Clinton and [[George W. Bush]] during their presidencies.<ref name=RollingStoneLowTimes/><ref name=NMEObama>[https://www.nme.com/news/music/kid-rock-18-1335163 Kid Rock: 'Barack Obama is great for black people'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803021030/https://www.nme.com/news/music/kid-rock-18-1335163 |date=August 3, 2020 }} (November 25, 2008). ''[[NME]]''.</ref> In 2008, Ritchie supported newly elected President [[Barack Obama]], saying that Obama's election was "a great thing for black people."<ref name=NMEObama/> In 2012, Ritchie campaigned for Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]]; the candidate used Ritchie's song "[[Born Free (Kid Rock song)|Born Free]]" as his campaign theme.<ref name=RollingStoneTrump>{{cite magazine|first=Brian|last=Hiatt|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kid-rock-im-digging-donald-trump-20160201|title=Kid Rock: 'I'm Digging Donald Trump'|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=February 1, 2016|access-date=February 19, 2018|archive-date=June 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620004626/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kid-rock-im-digging-donald-trump-20160201|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Luke|last=Johnson|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/07/mitt-romney-kid-rock-born-free-campaign-song_n_1133625.html|title=Mitt Romney Chooses Kid Rock's 'Born Free' As Campaign Theme Song|work=[[HuffPost]]|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2018|archive-date=February 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204132654/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/07/mitt-romney-kid-rock-born-free-campaign-song_n_1133625.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Gloria|last=Goodale|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/1207/Mitt-Romney-chooses-theme-song.-Is-Born-Free-a-good-choice|title=Mitt Romney chooses theme song. Is 'Born Free' a good choice?|newspaper=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2018|archive-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130091700/https://www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/amphtml/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/1207/Mitt-Romney-chooses-theme-song.-Is-Born-Free-a-good-choice|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Todd|last=Spangler|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/romney-campaign-adopts-kid-rocks-born-free/|title=Romney campaign adopts Kid Rock's 'Born Free'|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2018|archive-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130091658/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/romney-campaign-adopts-kid-rocks-born-free/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/quoted-kid-rock-on-romneys-campaign-theme-song-pick/2011/12/07/gIQAR8S9cO_blog.html|title=Quoted: Kid Rock on Romney's campaign theme song pick|author=The Reliable Source|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2018|archive-date=February 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201192920/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/quoted-kid-rock-on-romneys-campaign-theme-song-pick/2011/12/07/gIQAR8S9cO_blog.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2012/02/28/mitt-romney-kid-rock-born-free/|title=Kid Rock performs 'Born Free' for Mitt Romney campaign stop: Watch it here|website=Ew.com|access-date=February 1, 2018|archive-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130145448/http://ew.com/article/2012/02/28/mitt-romney-kid-rock-born-free/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, Ritchie publicly endorsed [[Ben Carson]] for the [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016|Republican nomination]] for [[President of the United States]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/240032-celebrity-endorsements-for-2016/|title=Celebrity endorsements for 2016|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=April 25, 2015|access-date=July 14, 2015|archive-date=November 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119002722/http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/240032-celebrity-endorsements-for-2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2016, he voiced approval for [[Donald Trump]]'s campaign for the same office.<ref name=RollingStoneTrump/> In December, Kid Rock sparked controversy for selling T-shirts supporting Trump at concerts, including one showing a map of the United States which labelled the states which had voted against Trump as "Dumbfuckistan".<ref name=metroconfederateflag/><ref name=BillboardRNC>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7446583/kid-rock-rnc-concert-trump|title=Kid Rock's RNC Concert: Rocker Sidesteps the Soapbox to Show His Country Pride|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=July 22, 2016|access-date=February 1, 2018|archive-date=March 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324113556/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7446583/kid-rock-rnc-concert-trump|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Kid Rock at White House.jpg|thumb|upright|Ritchie at the [[White House]] in 2017]]
On July 12, 2017, Ritchie shared a photo of a "Kid Rock for US Senate" yard sign on Twitter. He also launched a website at kidrockforsenate.com, which sold merchandise bearing that inscription.<ref name="kid-rock-teases-senate"/> Several weeks later, he wrote a post on his blog stating that he was still "exploring my candidacy", and that, whether or not he ran, he wanted to register people to vote, because "although people are unhappy with the government, too few are even registered to vote or do anything about it." He added that he wanted "to help working class people in Michigan and America all while still calling out these jackass lawyers who call themselves politicians."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Kid Rock Updates on His Senate Bid: 'Democrats Are Shattin' in their Pantaloons' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7881196/kid-rock-updates-senate-bid |first=Lars |last=Brandle |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=July 27, 2017 |access-date=June 6, 2018 |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613144507/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7881196/kid-rock-updates-senate-bid |url-status=live }}</ref> His statements sparked media speculation that he would try to run on the Republican ticket against sitting Michigan senator [[Debbie Stabenow]], as well as enthusiasm from some prominent Republicans, including former [[Governor of New York|New York Governor]] [[George Pataki]], who wrote on Twitter, "Kid Rock is exactly the kind of candidate the GOP needs right now."<ref>{{cite news |title=Pataki says Kid Rock is just what the Senate needs |url=https://nypost.com/2017/08/15/pataki-says-kid-rock-is-just-what-the-senate-needs/ |first=Carl |last=Campanile |newspaper=[[New York Post]] |date=August 15, 2017 |access-date=June 6, 2018 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612211437/https://nypost.com/2017/08/15/pataki-says-kid-rock-is-just-what-the-senate-needs/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In an October 2017 interview with [[Howard Stern]], Ritchie put an end to the speculation, saying that he had never intended to run for Senate, adding rhetorically, "Who couldn't figure that out?".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/10/24/kid-rock-course-im-not-running-senate/791831001/ |title=Kid Rock: Of course I'm not running for Senate |first=Brian |last=McCollum |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=2017-10-24 |access-date=June 6, 2018 |archive-date=November 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125221524/https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/10/24/kid-rock-course-im-not-running-senate/791831001/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He later clarified that the campaign was a joke that he had started after a Michigan state legislator encouraged him to run for Senate. He expressed surprise at the interest his potential candidacy had received, but also disappointment that some opposed to his candidacy had brought up his previous use of the Confederate flag to label him a racist.<ref name="morningsun"/> He donated the $122,000 he had raised by selling "Kid Rock for U.S. Senate" merchandise to [[College Republicans|CRNC]] Action, a College Republican group.<ref name="amp.detroitnews.com"/>

On July 18, 2024, Ritchie performed his song "[[American Bad Ass]]" for the [[2024 Republican National Convention]] with modified lyrics to show his support for Trump.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Aniftos |first=Rania |date=2024-07-19 |title=Kid Rock Performed at the RNC & the Internet Has Thoughts |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/kid-rock-performs-rnc-reactions-1235735536/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>