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SF Chronicle: Republicans who once reviled Tesla, now praise it

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Kipernicus

Model S Res#P1440
Dec 2, 2009
1,256
141
Belmont, CA
(from April 13) Republicans who once reviled Tesla, now praise it

Now, quite suddenly, Republicans, who have been struggling to appeal to a wider swath of voters, are singing the company's praises.

In recent weeks, Tesla has won support from such figures as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly.

"Everybody on the planet should be rooting for Tesla," O'Reilly said on his March 31 show. "I mean everybody, even the traditional car companies that will have to compete."

Perry and Rubio want to ditch state laws that prevent Tesla from selling directly to consumers, rather than through traditional franchise dealerships. For Tesla, which has been fighting auto dealers in state after state, no issue is more important.

Some Democrats doubt, however, that the GOP as a whole will embrace Tesla and clean tech anytime soon. Wade Randlett, a Silicon Valley executive and major Democratic fundraiser, noted the Republican Party's deep ties to the oil industry - the companies most threatened by electric cars.