The ‘Elon Paradox’: He sells Teslas–but you’d expect him to drive a Ram. Here’s what your car says about your politics.

Politics, cars, and the internet collided when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis officially began his presidential campaign in a Twitter interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. While unconventional, the launch was in some ways fitting.  Mr. DeSantis’ chief challenge, to borrow from a 2016 Barack Obama line, is convincing GOP voters they are ready for “that new car smell.”

Buying a car, after all, is a lot like choosing a president.

It’s a major decision, one that Americans typically live with for about eight years. Like voters, prospective buyers do significant research and comparison shopping. They consider performance, reliability, appearance, and how promised benefits might meet their needs.

This article originally appeared on Fortune.com -- read the full piece here.