Elon Musk poured $158 million into a Republican super PAC, with campaign filings revealing a striking financial connection to Ken Paxton’s Texas Senate bid. The transfers raised fresh questions about billionaire influence in one of this year’s most closely watched races.
Musk made two enormous contributions in September, each followed by an identical payment to a group supporting Paxton. The money helped sustain the Republican candidate’s campaign as he faced a fundraising disadvantage against Democratic rival James Talarico.
Elon Musk’s $158 million donation to Senate Leadership Fund coincided with transfers to a pro-Ken Paxton PAC
According to The New York Times, Federal Election Commission filings released Thursday showed Musk donated $75 million to the Senate Leadership Fund on September 9. He followed that payment with another $83 million on September 23. The super PAC transferred matching amounts to Texas PAC in the following days. The Senate Leadership Fund established Texas PAC to support Paxton’s campaign.
The group reported spending more than $100 million on pro-Paxton messaging and attacks against Talarico. However, the filings did not establish that Musk’s specific dollars directly funded those transfers. The timing nevertheless drew attention. Without Musk’s historic contributions, such a substantial flow of money toward Paxton appeared unlikely. The donations also made Musk one of the most consequential individual political donors ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Musk separately gave $10 million to another super PAC backing Paxton. That contribution helped the group begin running television ads in late August. He also donated more than $80 million to America PAC between July and September. That organization reported spending on the Texas Senate contest and other congressional races.
Paxton, Texas’ attorney general, had trailed Talarico in several polls. Republican leaders grew increasingly concerned about losing a statewide Texas election for the first time in more than three decades. Musk’s financial support offered Paxton’s campaign a significant advantage in the expensive contest.
The billionaire, who lives in Austin and operates major businesses in Texas, had also publicly criticized Talarico on X. Talarico, meanwhile, challenged the political influence of wealthy donors like Musk. America PAC spokesperson Andrew Romeo defended the group’s spending in a statement to the press. He argued that its investments gave Republicans a fighting chance in November’s elections.
The filings did not prove a direct link between Musk’s money and every payment to Paxton’s allies. However, the timing highlighted his growing influence over Republican campaign spending.
