Washington: Billionaire entrepreneur and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has become the largest individual political donor in American history, pouring more than $442 million into Republican campaigns and aligned political groups ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections.
Campaign finance filings reviewed by The Hill show that Musk contributed an additional $76.8 million last month to his America PAC, a super political action committee he established during the 2024 election cycle. The fresh infusion, received within roughly a week in October, brings his total spending in support of Republican candidates and organizations to more than $442 million. That figure includes approximately $366 million previously directed toward Republican causes.
According to The Washington Post, a substantial portion of Musk’s recent outlays has been aimed at helping Republicans retain control of Congress. Particular emphasis has been placed on the closely contested Texas U.S. Senate race, where Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democratic challenger James Talarico.
CBS News, citing campaign finance records, reported that Musk donated $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund—the primary super PAC supporting Republican Senate candidates—in two installments during September: $75 million on September 9 and $83 million about two weeks later. The group subsequently transferred an equivalent sum to a Texas-based political action committee backing Paxton. More than half of the Senate Leadership Fund’s total third-quarter receipts came from these contributions alone.
Musk also directed $10 million from his trust to the Paxton-supporting Lone Star Liberty PAC. Additional contributions included $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, which backs House Republicans; $10 million to the Republican Governors Association; and $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association. His America PAC has further supported Republican candidates in competitive congressional races.
The latest wave of spending marks a significant return to large-scale political giving by Musk, who spent more than $250 million supporting Donald Trump and other Republicans during the 2024 election cycle. The renewed financial commitment comes amid earlier speculation within Republican circles that Musk might scale back his involvement following a public rift with Trump the previous year.
The November 3 midterms are widely viewed as a pivotal contest for control of both chambers of Congress, with results expected to shape the trajectory of Trump’s legislative agenda and the balance of political power in Washington. The elections unfold against a backdrop of economic concerns and declining presidential approval ratings. The Wall Street Journal reported in September that Trump’s approval rating had fallen to 37 percent—the lowest pre-midterm level for any president in the publication’s polling history dating back to 1990.
