Elon Musk is jumping into Texas’ closely watched U.S. Senate race, with his political action committee spending nearly $250,000 to support Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and oppose Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.
The expenditures mark America PAC’s first spending in the Texas Senate contest and are part of roughly $800,000 the group recently poured into Republican congressional candidates across the country. Federal Election Commission filings show the money was designated for printing, which can include campaign materials such as mailers, signs and flyers.
Texas received the largest share of America PAC’s initial round of midterm spending, underscoring the growing national attention surrounding the Paxton-Talarico race.
Musk’s PAC targets Talarico
Most of America PAC’s Texas spending was dated Aug. 20, shortly before other Republican-aligned outside groups began airing television advertisements targeting Talarico.
Those attacks have largely focused on Talarico’s vote against a 2025 Texas law restricting land purchases by people and entities connected to China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
America PAC has also taken its campaign against Talarico to X, the social media platform owned by Musk. The PAC has accused the Democratic nominee of “running from his radical past” and portraying himself as a moderate “to trick Texas voters into electing him.”
The spending is part of Musk’s broader return to electoral politics ahead of the November midterms. America PAC spent more than $260 million during the 2024 election cycle, when Musk emerged as a major financial supporter of President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates.
Musk reportedly authorized America PAC last year to spend more than $100 million during the 2026 election cycle. The billionaire also met with House Speaker Mike Johnson this week as Republicans prepare for the final two months before Election Day.
Paxton faces a major fundraising gap
Outside spending could become particularly important for Paxton because Talarico has built a substantial fundraising advantage.
Since the beginning of 2025, Talarico’s campaign has raised $72 million, compared with $16.8 million for Paxton. Talarico reported raising $31.6 million in the most recent quarterly filing, while Paxton brought in $9.3 million. Talarico finished June with $23.3 million in cash on hand, more than three times Paxton’s total.
Recent polling has also shown a competitive contest, raising the stakes for national Republican groups deciding where to direct their money during the final stretch of the campaign.
One of the biggest remaining questions is how heavily Trump’s political operation will invest in Texas.
Trump endorsed Paxton during the Republican primary and recently appeared at a Houston fundraiser connected to his campaign. Trump said this week that he plans to deploy between $400 million and $500 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC to help Republican candidates in the midterms, although he has not publicly specified how much of that money could be directed toward Paxton.
Musk has deep ties to Texas
For Musk, Texas is more than another state on the midterm map.
Tesla, SpaceX and X have established their headquarters in Texas, while Musk’s companies operate numerous other facilities across the state. Tesla has also continued expanding its footprint, including construction of a semiconductor megafactory in Grimes County.
America PAC’s spending suggests Musk’s political operation will not be limited to Texas, however.
The group also directed more than $170,000 toward Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ race in Maine and more than $105,000 toward Republican Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio. Its initial expenditures stretched across congressional contests in more than a dozen states.
But no race received more from America PAC in this first round than Texas.
