The political landscape in Texas is expected to see a significant surge in investment from Elon Musk, according to sources briefed on the matter. According to Trump officials, the precise amount of the spending could range from $100 million to $200 million, with a primary focus on voter turnout in key races, particularly those impacting the fate of Republican nominee Ken Paxton in the Senate. The planned financial injection – or in-kind contributions – would be strategically aimed at bolstering Paxton’s campaign, given his substantial contributions to grassroots fundraising. A recent FEC filing reveals James Talarico raised approximately $69 million in contributions, compared to Paxton’s $9 million, highlighting a significant disparity in fundraising. While a presidential endorsement from Donald Trump has historically propelled Paxton’s candidacy, his performance in primary contests has been notably underwhelming, especially in contrast to his past scandals and recent struggles to maintain support amongst his base. Currently, neither of the two largest national GOP entities has committed to spending on Paxton. The Senate Leadership Fund, currently managed by allies of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is run by individuals supporting Cornyn, while MAGA Inc has yet to release its spending plans. Democrats in close races are generally outperforming Republicans, so Paxton isn’t unique in this regard. Numerous candidates are relying on national party committees and outside groups to supplement their fundraising efforts. Musk’s projected 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, compared to Democrats’ $116 million. MAGA Inc has about $400 million on hand; there is no Democratic equivalent. A spokesperson for America PAC declined to comment on the group’s spending plans. The New York Times reported that Musk authorized his PAC to spend at least $100 million for the 2026 midterms. However, Musk’s track record in setting up voter turnout operations has been mixed. In the 2024 election, the Trump campaign outsourced its field operations to America PAC, which paid third-party canvassing firms more than $46 million across several battleground states in an attempt to turn out ‘low propensity’ voters, who like Trump but don’t always vote. In the end, Trump swept all six battleground states, but Trump officials were unconvinced that was a result of America PAC’s work with paid canvassers (who often are not as enthusiastic as in-house canvassers and are known to pretend to hit doors to claim their paychecks), as opposed to Trump’s celebrity appeal and ability to turn out his base. The 2024 America PAC operation also faced complaints from workers who claimed that they had been tricked, and threatened with having to pay for their own lodging unless they hit massive quotas. (America PAC and Musk did not respond to requests for comment at the time.) This is an edition of Hugo Lowell’s Inner Loop newsletter. Read previous newsletters here.”}” ,
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Source: Wired
