Elon Musk may not be buying Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) but he has secured a place for himself as a champion of free speech. The Tesla (NASDQ:TSLA) CEO has become an icon among conservative icons who hailed him as a hero willing to take on the “tyrants of big tech” who were attacking their right to speak freely. Now Musk is likely poised to wriggle out of the deal but his status as a conservative icon is stronger than ever. And in garnering this image for himself, Musk has unlocked a hidden asset that can boost TSLA stock.

Musk’s New Status

Musk recently made his politician loyalties know in a tweet:

In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party.

But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.

Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold … 🍿

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2022

But his behavior has mimicked that of a conservative for a long time. In 2021, he sparred with both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren over the proposed billionaire’s tax. Since then, he has open criticized President Joe Biden for his reluctance to acknowledge Tesla as the country’s electric vehicle (EV) leader. Even after Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg praised Musk’s company, the CEO has not relented in his stance against Democrats and “the left.”

Through it all, right-wing voters and politicians reacted well to Musk’s firebrand conservatism. When he offered to spend $44 billion to acquire Twitter in the name of free speech, they celebrated. For the conservative voters who had accused the platform of censoring their party, this felt like a tremendous win. Many right-wing politicians tweeted in favor of the deal.

Now Musk’s demagogue status has given him a new power. He likely didn’t start criticizing Twitter with this goal in mind but he has achieved something important; he has the power to convince conservative Americans to start driving EVs. America needs the type of people who drive gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs to make the switch to an EV. And data indicates that Republican voters are most likely to drive heavy-duty pickup trucks and luxury SUVs while Democrats tend to lean toward small and mid-size cars.

What It Means for TSLA Stock

As Matthew Yglesias noted in Bloomberg:

The people in America most likely to buy an electric car are the people who are already more environmentally conscious than average. But the people America most needs to buy an electric car are the people who drive their gasoline-powered vehicles more than average.

This is where Musk comes in. Many conservatives have been reluctant to embrace EVs, seeing them as a symbol of elitism. But data shows that conservative attitudes toward Tesla are changing rapidly. Early in 2022, a survey from Morning Consult showed the number of Republicans considering buying a Tesla increasing. Since Musk’s attempt to acquire Twitter, that number has likely increased.

If this trend increases, it will boost TSLA stock significantly. Iconic American brands such as Ford (NYSE:F) and General Motors (NYSE:GM) make the trucks conservatives love. Both companies have released EVs with lower price tags than Tesla but failed to tempt conservative drivers. Tesla has done exactly that, demonstrating that Republicans admire Elon Musk enough to pay more for one of his vehicles.

If he truly wants to help humanity as much as he claims to, Musk should keep producing EVs. It will speed up America’s transition to a more sustainable and help boost TSLA stock in the process.

On the date of publication, Samuel O’Brient did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.