Michigan man wins $1 million from Elon Musk’s political PAC

NETHERLANDS, MI. (CNN) – A Michigan man just became a millionaire after winning a contest organized by Elon Musk’s political PAC.

“Just a few weeks ago my wife had said to me: ‘What would you do if you won a lot of money?’”

At home in Holland, watching football on Thursday nights was the norm for Jason Cochran, until it wasn’t.

“They just said, you know, congratulations.”

The visitors showed up and handed Cochran a huge mock check worth $1 million.

“It’s still hard to believe,” Cochran said.

He communicated via Facebook with his wife and children so they could see how the surreal moment unfolded.

“He said he could hear it in my voice, just shaking, that he knew something big had happened,” Cochran said.

But was there a catch?

“I didn’t say I had to vote in favor, I didn’t have to vote and that’s it. I didn’t have to vote for anyone,” Cochran said.

It all happened because he signed a petition.

“It’s pretty amazing to get there just by doing something you would have done anyway,” Cochran said.

Elon Musk’s US PAC will donate $1 million each day between October 22 and November 5. Musk is offering the money to people within battleground states who sign in support of our First and Second Amendments.

“I’m not always very outspoken, but I’ve definitely always stood up for what I believe in,” Cochran said.

And he’s going to spend the money on what he believes in. Cochran’s family, along with others from western Michigan, began Route — a Christian vocational school program for homeschooled students.

“One of the best things about making money is knowing you can help other people,” Cochran said. “The exchanges are very important and there wasn’t a good way to get a lot more kids involved in that.”

So what about a new yacht? House on the beach? Lamborghini?

For Cochran it is none of the above.

“It’s quiet right now, there are no plans to go out and buy anything,” he said.

Cochran is the first person from Michigan to receive one of the million-dollar awards.

The victory comes after the Justice Department warned this week that the drawing could violate federal election laws that prohibit payment for voter registration.

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