WASHINGTON — The money moved fast. Elon Musk sent the Senate Leadership Fund $75 million on Sept. 9 and another $83 million on Sept. 22, Federal Election Commission filings show, and a day after each payment the Republican super PAC passed the same sum on to a group in Texas, according to USA TODAY.
That group, Texas PAC, backs Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate. It has reported spending more than $100 million for Paxton and against his Democratic rival, state Rep. James Talarico.
Together the two Musk payments made up more than half of what the fund raised in the third quarter, when it took in about $273 million.
Talarico still led on his own fundraising. He raised $64 million in the quarter, while Paxton and groups aligned with him raised $18 million. A RealClearPolitics average put Talarico ahead, 48.2% to 46%.
Republicans defend a 53-47 Senate majority this fall. In Texas, no Democrat has won a statewide race since 1994.
Musk did not stop with the Senate fund. The Washington Examiner reported that filings also show $10 million to the Lone Star Liberty PAC, another group backing Paxton, $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund for House races, and about $88 million to his own America PAC.
Musk lives in Texas. Tesla and SpaceX both run large operations in the state, and he has criticized Talarico on X in recent weeks.
Voters decide the race on Nov. 3.
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