Midterms: In Texas, Elon Musk's Exorbitant Check to 'Save Private Paxton'

A Republican stronghold for at least thirty years, will Texas flip into the Democratic camp, as polls suggest? Or, on the contrary, will Elon Musk manage to save Trump-backed candidate Ken Paxton, who is struggling and whose reputation has been tarnished by multiple scandals? One thing is certain: by pouring stratospheric sums into the midterm elections to help the MAGA camp win, the SpaceX and Tesla chief is breaking all records in this field. He has become the largest individual donor in the history of American political parties.

After announcing in 2025 that he would henceforth spend less money on electoral campaigns, Elon Musk has dedicated roughly $450 million—nearly half a billion!—to support candidates of his choice across about forty electoral contests nationwide. The largest share was allocated to Texas, with $175 million spent to "save Private Paxton."

The latter, it must be said, is in desperate need of help. A former Texas attorney general and former local elected official, the 63-year-old ultra-conservative has faced accusations of taking bribes and was subjected to an impeachment procedure. In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives (despite having a Republican majority) voted for his impeachment, though he was later acquitted by the Texas Senate. Furthermore, this staunch opponent of abortion, immigration, and the LGBTQ movement is in the middle of divorce proceedings after 38 years of marriage to Angela Paxton, a Texas state senator who uncovered his infidelities.

As a result, the young Democratic challenger, 37-year-old James Talarico, leads Ken Paxton by 6 to 8 points in the polls. And there is no guarantee that repeated campaign rallies by Donald Trump (three in less than three months in Texas alone) will turn the tide. Even Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, has repeatedly refrained from appearing publicly alongside Paxton, whom many view as a toxic political outcast.

The Most Expensive Midterm Campaign in History

One thing is certain: if the Republican Party avoids a humiliating defeat in Texas after thirty years of hegemony, and if Trump loyalists limit their losses across the rest of the nation, they will owe a massive debt of gratitude to Elon Musk. During the 2024 presidential election, the billionaire spent $290 million backing Donald Trump, which had already established him as the largest political donor on record. Today, that milestone has been shattered and nearly doubled.

According to an expert cited by CNBC, "such a sum ($450 million) spent over such a short period by a single donor is unprecedented." To put this into perspective, 4% of all campaign spending across the United States in 2026 came directly from Elon Musk. While Michael Bloomberg spent roughly one billion dollars in 2020, that went toward self-funding his own presidential bid, which is fundamentally distinct from political donations.

The SpaceX chief is not the only mega-donor in this midterm cycle. Conservative billionaires Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein (owners of office-supply giant Uline) contributed $150 million, while libertarian Janine Yass gave $110 million. On the Democratic side, George Soros spent $102 million, followed by Michael Bloomberg with $84 million. Across all parties and candidates, the 2026 midterm election campaign stands as the most expensive in American history.