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Elon Musk donates $158 million to Ken Paxton’s Texas Senate campaign
Elon Musk has significantly impacted the Texas Senate race by donating $158 million to support Republican candidate Ken Paxton. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Musk made two major contributions in September—$75 million and $83 million—to the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). The SLF subsequently transferred these funds to Texas PAC, a political committee dedicated to Paxton’s campaign.
This massive infusion of capital comes as the race between Paxton and Democratic candidate James Talarico remains highly competitive. While Talarico reported a record $64 million in fundraising for the third quarter, the Republican-aligned efforts have utilized Musk’s funds to launch an extensive advertising campaign. Texas PAC has already spent over $159 million on television, radio, and digital advertisements.
Recent polling from InsiderAdvantage indicates a tight contest, with Paxton leading Talarico by just one percentage point, a result within the margin of error. Musk’s total political contributions in 2026 have reached approximately $366 million across various Super PACs and political groups.
Entities
Elon Musk · James Talarico · Ken Paxton · Senate Leadership Fund · Texas PAC
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Musk has contributed a total of $366 million to Super PACs and political groups in 2026. www.t-online.de · www.commondreams.org · www.watson.ch
- [● 5 SOURCES] Musk made two September contributions to the Senate Leadership Fund: $75 million and $83 million. tdpelmedia.com · feeds.texastribune.org · truthout.org · www.watson.ch · sun.mv
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Senate Leadership Fund transferred the donated funds to Texas PAC. tdpelmedia.com · feeds.texastribune.org · truthout.org · sun.mv
- [○ 1 SOURCE] An InsiderAdvantage poll showed Paxton leading Talarico by one percentage point. tdpelmedia.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Musk was responsible for 58% of the Senate Leadership Fund’s third-quarter fundraising. www.commondreams.org
- [● 2 SOURCES] Texas PAC has spent over $159 million on advertising. feeds.texastribune.org · truthout.org
- [● 5 SOURCES] Elon Musk donated $158 million to support Ken Paxton’s Texas Senate campaign. tdpelmedia.com · feeds.texastribune.org · truthout.org · issues.fr · www.vanityfair.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ken Paxton received an endorsement from Donald Trump during the Republican primary. tdpelmedia.com