DALLAS — The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC linked to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is stepping into the Texas U.S. Senate race, launching its first advertising campaign in support of Ken Paxton. This strategic move comes as the group allocates an initial $32 million for broadcast television ads across major media markets in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, according to media tracking firm AdImpact.
Until now, Senate Republicans had been hesitant to invest in Texas, a historically Republican stronghold. Thune has recently urged President Donald Trump’s political apparatus to provide financial support for Paxton, highlighting the high costs associated with advertising in a state with numerous media markets. Over the weekend, MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with Trump, also made its entry by purchasing $10 million worth of ad time in Texas—marking its first expenditure in any general election.
This latest ad buy from the Senate Leadership Fund indicates the precarious position Republicans find themselves in within Texas, a state that has typically been a safe seat for the party. In what has become a challenging national climate, Paxton is now reportedly trailing Democrat James Talarico in many public opinion polls, while also facing significant financial disadvantages against the Austin lawmaker and his supporters.
This marks the first time Senate Republicans have financially engaged in Texas since the primary elections. Historically, senators have shown loyalty to their long-time colleague, Sen. John Cornyn, a notable fundraiser, and have favored him over Paxton. They have raised concerns that Paxton’s ongoing legal and ethical issues could jeopardize the seat and increase the cost of defending Texas. A dark money group connected to the Senate Leadership Fund, OneNation, previously spent millions in the summer of 2025 on positive ads promoting Cornyn.
Although Thune and other Republican figures began rallying support for Paxton after his runoff victory against Cornyn, and even hosted fundraisers for him over the summer, the Senate Leadership Fund had refrained from participating in the ad campaigns until now.
Earlier this year, the group had already made ad reservations in several other competitive Senate battlegrounds, initially committing to a $342 million expenditure across eight races—five where the GOP is defending its positions and three where they aim to unseat Democrats. The Senate Leadership Fund has continued to invest heavily in races across states like Michigan, Ohio, and North Carolina.
Talarico has effectively leveraged his financial advantage to dominate the airwaves, airing a mix of ads that introduce himself to voters while attributing rising living costs to Republican policies. Recently, prominent Republican financial players including Trump’s operation, Elon Musk’s PAC, and the Senate Republicans’ group have ramped up their spending in Texas, narrowing the financial gap.
America PAC, which is backed by Musk, has invested over $2.6 million in phone outreach, text messaging, and ad printing aimed at supporting Paxton and criticizing Talarico.
Since Paxton secured his position following a runoff in late May, Republican groups have collectively spent $60.8 million on advertisements, including future reservations through the end of September, as per AdImpact. In contrast, Democrats have spent $43.7 million, predominantly from Talarico’s campaign. However, Talarico’s campaign funds stretch further in broadcast and radio advertising due to rules that favor campaign rates over those of super PACs.
Democrats interpret this substantial spending by the Senate Leadership Fund as a sign of vulnerability. A spokesperson for the Senate Majority PAC, which operates as the counterpart to the Senate Leadership Fund, stated that Paxton has forced the organization into a position of trying to salvage a seat that was once considered secure for the GOP.
“They should be sweating,” said spokesperson Christyna Thompson in a statement. “The Senate Leadership Fund spent the spring attempting to undermine Paxton’s campaign. Now they are left with the candidate that Trump imposed on them.”
While the Paxton campaign stands to gain lower advertising rates compared to the supporting PACs, it has yet to make a significant television ad buy.
The Texas Tribune Festival will feature keynotes from two prominent figures in American politics: former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, in discussions with leading national journalists. The event is scheduled for September 24–26 in downtown Austin.
