Musk Doubles Down on Texas Senate Race With Massive Late Push

The final sprint of the midterm elections has been marked by an aggressive financial surge from Elon Musk, who has poured more than $76 million into his personal political committee during the first two weeks of October. This significant infusion aims to bolster Republican candidates in a critical final stretch. According to a pre-election report filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday evening, the group, known as America PAC, deployed nearly $43 million in that brief period while retaining close to $47 million in cash for the remainder of the campaign.

The Texas Senate race served as the primary target for this new spending wave, drawing $15.2 million in the two-week window. This amount is double the sum the PAC allocated to the state throughout the entire summer. The funds were split between offensive and defensive maneuvers, with $12.4 million dedicated to attacking Democratic candidate James Talarico and $2.8 million used to promote Republican Ken Paxton. Daily filings indicate that an additional $9.1 million has been spent against Talarico since then, bringing the total expenditure against him this cycle to nearly $28 million. This single candidate now accounts for roughly 40 percent of all money the PAC has spent supporting or opposing candidates.

Beyond the specific target in Texas, America PAC has shifted its strategic focus toward digital platforms. The committee spent $11.4 million on online advertisements in the same two-week period, a figure approaching the total amount previously spent on traditional mail and texting combined. This digital pivot suggests a calculated effort to reach voters where they are most active online, particularly in the final days before the election. The committee declined to offer further comment on its specific strategies or the allocation of these funds.

Musk’s involvement in the 2026 midterms has been substantial on a broader scale. An analysis of Federal Election Commission filings reveals that he has given more than $445 million to Republican political groups this election cycle, securing his position as the largest known individual donor. More than $165 million of that total has flowed into America PAC since July alone. With major companies like Tesla and SpaceX headquartered in Texas, Musk has a direct stake in the outcome of the state’s Senate race, further intensifying the scrutiny on his political activities.

The billionaire has also taken to social media to influence public opinion, recently posting on X that there is "something deeply wrong with Talarico." He went so far as to call the Democrat "a creep" and claimed, without providing evidence, that Talarico would vote to take away children and transition them. Earlier in the month, Musk amplified a false claim that Talarico had received treatment at a mental health facility. Talarico responded swiftly, stating, "There is something deeply wrong with a political system that allows one trillionaire to buy his own personal US Senator."

Despite the heavy spending, the Texas race remains statistically close. An Emerson College poll conducted between October 17 and 19 found Talarico leading by two points, 48 percent to Paxton’s 46 percent, within the margin of error. The stakes for Musk extend well beyond the Senate seat. If Democrats secure the House, key lawmakers have indicated they will investigate his role in the Department of Government Efficiency, his federal contracts, and various conflicts of interest. Additionally, Silicon Valley Democrats have signaled intent to scrutinize federal funding for SpaceX’s Starshield service in Ukraine, adding another layer of potential legislative pressure.