Kid Rock exploring candidacy for Michigan Senate seat

Ever since bad-boy rocker Kid Rock, born Robert Ritchie, debuted the website kidrockforsenate.com this month, the question has been whether the political campaign was a mere marketing ploy or something more.

And now we have the answer — sort of. Ritchie, potentially seeking to unseat Michigan Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow, posted a message on his blog early Thursday morning elaborating on the prospect of an actual campaign.

He called a run “very possible” and said he was “exploring my candidacy.”

Since he launched the website, “I was beyond overwhelmed with the response I received from community leaders, D.C. pundits, and blue-collar folks that are just simply tired of the extreme left and right bulls---,” wrote the musician, who has been outspoken about his right-leaning politics. He’s not wrong there: A sample Politico headline was “Senator Kid Rock. Don’t Laugh” and a poll (albeit a conservative one) showed him leading against Stabenow.

As he mulls his future, Ritchie has established a nonprofit organization and plans to sign up voters at his concerts. “I have no problem selling Kid Rock shirts and yes, I absolutely will use this media circus to sell/promote whatever I damn well please (many other politicians are doing the same thing, they just feed you a bunch of bulls--- about it),” he wrote. Proceeds will benefit the voter-registration drive, he says.

The blog post ends with a characteristic touch of swagger. “We will be scheduling a press conference in the next 6 weeks or so to address this issue amongst others,” he wrote. “And if I decide to throw my hat in the ring for US Senate, believe me ... it’s game on.”