Elon Musk is expected to spend between $100 million and $200 million to support Republican candidates in the midterms this year, according to Trump officials briefed on his plans. The spending would focus on voter turnout in key races, including Texas, where the outcome could influence which party controls the U.S. Senate.
Musk's projected spending would particularly benefit Republican nominee Ken Paxton, who has significantly trailed his Democratic opponent in fundraising. According to the latest Federal Election Commission filings, James Talarico had raised roughly $69 million compared to Paxton's $9 million.
Paxton struggled to raise money throughout his primary campaign against Senator John Cornyn and has not substantially improved his fundraising position since securing the Republican nomination. Neither the Senate Leadership Fund, which supports Senate Majority Leader John Thune, nor MAGA Inc has committed to spending on Paxton's race.
Musk's expected spending adds to the Republican National Committee's $128 million war chest, while the Democratic National Committee is $2 million in debt. The two main GOP super PACs for House and Senate races have $380 million on hand, compared to $116 million for Democratic equivalents. MAGA Inc has approximately $400 million available with no Democratic counterpart.
Musk's track record in voter turnout operations has been mixed. During the 2024 election, the Trump campaign outsourced field operations to America PAC, which spent more than $46 million with third-party canvassing firms in battleground states to reach "low propensity" voters. While Trump won all six battleground states, Trump officials were uncertain whether America PAC's paid canvassers contributed to that outcome. The 2024 operation also drew complaints from workers who said they were pressured to meet quotas or cover their own lodging costs.