# Musk pours $158m into Texas Senate race for Paxton

> Billionaire Elon Musk has become the chief bankroller of Republican Ken Paxton's Senate campaign against Democrat James Talarico, funneling over $150 million through GOP groups.
- Title: Musk pours $158m into Texas Senate race for Paxton · ABC News
- Summary: Billionaire Elon Musk has become the chief bankroller of Republican Ken Paxton's Senate campaign against Democrat James Talarico, funneling over $150 million…
- Keywords: elon musk, ken paxton, james talarico, texas senate race, campaign finance, senate leadership fund, 2026 midterms, news, Musk, pours, 158m, Texas
- Source: ABC News — https://abcnews.com/Politics/elon-musk-bankrolling-gops-hopes-texas-senate-race/story?id=137320055
- Author: ABC News
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: elon musk, ken paxton, james talarico, texas senate race, campaign finance, senate leadership fund, 2026 midterms, news
## Musk emerges as Paxton's chief backer
Campaign finance filings show billionaire Elon Musk is the chief sponsor of Republican efforts supporting Ken Paxton in his Texas Senate race against Democrat James Talarico.
## First seventy five million gift
On September ninth, the first day of the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Musk gave seventy five million dollars to the Senate Leadership Fund, the main Senate Republican super PAC.
## Money flows to Texas PAC
One day later, the Senate Leadership Fund transferred seventy five million dollars to Texas PAC, founded weeks earlier to back Paxton against Talarico in the Senate race.
## Second eighty three million gift
On September twenty-third, Musk gave another eighty three million dollars to the Senate Leadership Fund, which transferred it to Texas PAC the next day.
## Total reaches one hundred fifty eight million
Texas PAC reported receiving one hundred fifty eight million dollars total from the two Musk contributions, allowing Senate Republicans to support Paxton without diverting resources from other competitive races.
## Part of Musk's broader midterm push
The Texas spending is one element of Musk's more than two hundred seventy six million dollars in midterm spending, close to what he spent on the entire two thousand twenty-four presidential election.
## Republicans maintain spending advantage
Though Talarico raised sixty four million dollars in the third quarter compared to Paxton's eighteen million, Republicans continue to enjoy a massive advantage in spending from outside political groups like Musk's.
## Key takeaway

Elon Musk has given over $158 million to support Republican Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race, making him the chief sponsor of the effort.