Musk Twitter Takeover Disaster Created GOP Bubble Before Election

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter created a right-wing echo chamber that convinced Republicans their increasingly extreme rhetoric was popular with ordinary Americans, argues The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer. Racist memes, misogynistic attacks, and anti-immigrant outrage generated massive online engagement, but GOP politicians mistook clicks for votes. The result was a brutal midterm reckoning, with Republicans losing races across the country, including a stunning Democratic sweep in Texas. Serwer argues that Musk’s platform effectively trapped conservatives in their own propaganda bubble, leaving them blindsided by an electorate that rejected their message. [The Atlantic]