In a significant move within Texas’ U.S. Senate race, Elon Musk’s America PAC has made its first foray by contributing nearly $250,000 to support Attorney General Ken Paxton and launch attacks on his Democratic opponent, state Representative James Talarico. This expenditure was revealed to the Federal Election Commission and forms part of a broader $800,000 investment aimed at Republican candidates nationwide, marking America PAC’s initial spending initiative for the year.
The majority of the funds allocated in Texas were recorded on August 20, just prior to a surge of advertisements from various GOP groups targeting Talarico. These ads primarily criticized the Austin lawmaker for his vote against a law that prohibited individuals and entities with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia from acquiring land in Texas.
America PAC has actively expressed its opposition to Talarico’s campaign on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, posting four critical messages about the Democratic nominee since Tuesday. These posts claim that Talarico is attempting to distance himself from his “radical past” while pretending to be a moderate to deceive Texas voters.
Musk, recognized as the world’s richest individual, reportedly authorized his PAC in November to allocate over $100 million during this election cycle. He recently met with House Speaker Mike Johnson to discuss potential plans, according to Politico.
This new funding is indicative of Musk’s renewed engagement in political financing, having previously been the largest donor in the 2024 presidential election, contributing more than $250 million to the campaigns of Donald Trump and other Republican candidates.
The financial support directed toward Paxton could be crucial as recent polls indicate Talarico holds a narrow lead in what has been a closely contested race. Talarico has also significantly outperformed Paxton in fundraising efforts, amassing $72 million compared to Paxton’s $16.8 million this cycle.
A pressing question remains regarding the extent of support Trump plans to provide in Texas. The former president, a long-time ally of Paxton who endorsed him shortly before the primary, has a substantial super PAC, MAGA Inc., with over $400 million in available funds. Senate GOP leaders have recently clarified that their focus will be on other states, placing pressure on Trump to assist Paxton in bridging the fundraising gap.
Although Trump has hosted a fundraiser for Paxton in Houston, there has been no indication of whether MAGA Inc. will offer further support to the attorney general.
Musk’s investments in Texas are substantial, with Tesla, SpaceX, and X all headquartered in the state, alongside several other facilities owned by him and his enterprises. This presence appears to be expanding; last month, Tesla commenced construction on a semiconductor megafactory in Grimes County, and recently, Musk showcased self-driving gold Cybercabs in Austin to promote Tesla’s new Robotaxi service.
While Texas’ Senate race has received the bulk of America PAC’s recent funding, the organization has also invested in competitive congressional races across twelve other states, contributing over $170,000 in Maine and $105,000 in Ohio. This indicates that Musk’s influence is poised to extend well beyond Texas, where he has established his most significant business operations.
