Elon Musk spent more than $400 million to support Republican candidates in the U.S. midterm elections, but the party suffered defeats across several states. Democrats regained control of Congress, and Democrat James Talarico won the Senate race in Texas, a key focus of Musk’s political spending.
Musk directed money to groups including the Senate Leadership Fund, the Congressional Leadership Fund and America PAC. His largest reported contribution was $168 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, much of which went to a political committee backing Republican Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race. Talarico defeated Paxton, while Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Governor Greg Abbott in the Texas gubernatorial contest.
Musk also used X to promote Republican candidates and criticize Democrats. In the final days of the campaign, he attacked Talarico, claiming the Democrat intended to “open the borders,” “abolish democracy” and “vote to transition your children.” Talarico referred to wealthy political donors in his victory speech, saying that “all the money in the world is no match for the people of Texas.”
The more than $400 million Musk spent in these midterms exceeded the roughly $290 million he directed toward Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2024. Yet Republican candidates backed by the groups receiving his support lost races in Ohio, Maine and Texas.
Democrats’ return to control of Congress could lead to investigations into Musk’s activities. Party members had said during the campaign that they would examine his conduct if they won a majority. Musk had also warned that a Democratic victory in 2028 could turn the United States into a one-party state and end democracy, while urging voters to support Republican Senate candidates.
After the election results emerged, Musk responded with an ironic post about space data centers and joked that his supposed “space lasers to interfere with elections” had failed.
Sources: Olhar Digital.