Tens of millions of dollars are pouring into Texas as Democrats stage an audacious bid to win a US Senate seat in the Republican stronghold. Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, is among those wading into the closely watched race as November’s midterm elections approach.
Musk's Financial Contributions
In September, Musk donated $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, the primary super political action committee (PAC) backing Republican Senate candidates. This donation accounted for more than half of the Senate Leadership Fund’s fundraising in the third quarter. Additionally, Musk contributed $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Ken Paxton, the Republican candidate in Texas, following a request from Alex Latcham, the president of the Senate Leadership Fund.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed Axios’s reporting to the Guardian. The donations come as Republicans struggle to keep pace with spending by Paxton’s Democratic opponent, James Talarico.
Talarico's Campaign
Over the summer, Talarico released an ad portraying Paxton negatively as a politician with a history of corruption. Talarico, a young, progressive candidate known for his faith-based messaging, made significant strides with liberal voters in Texas when he defeated an established Democrat for the Senate nomination earlier this year. He raised $64 million, marking the largest third-quarter fundraising of a Senate candidate in history, according to Politico.
