New book explores influence and political aspirations of Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel
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Next year, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly will be on the ballot again, attempting to hold the seat he just won last fall.
Competition on the Republican side is fierce, with several candidates fighting for the nomination to face off with Kelly.
One of those candidates is a political unknown — Blake Masters. But despite his low name recognition in the state so far, Masters may benefit from his close ties to Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel — founder of PayPal and a primetime speaker at the 2016 Republican convention that saw Donald Trump officially accept the party’s presidential nomination.
In the new biography, "The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley’s Pursuit of Power," Max Chafkin explores Thiel’s formative years, unique personality and ties to politics.
The Show spoke with Chafkin to learn how influential Peter Thiel can be, and how influential he wants to be when it comes to the U.S. Senate and upcoming elections.
