Elon Musk has donated $158 million to a Republican-aligned political fund supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s campaign for the US Senate, according to financial disclosures released by the Federal Election Commission on Thursday.
The filings show that Musk made two contributions in September, one worth $75 million and another worth $83 million, to the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF).
The money was subsequently channelled to Texas PAC, a political committee supporting Paxton’s Senate bid as he faces Democratic candidate James Talarico.
The donations come as Paxton’s campaign has faced challenges in polling against Talarico, who has been gaining attention in the traditionally Republican state.
New Poll Shows Paxton Narrowly Ahead
A poll released by InsiderAdvantage on Thursday showed Paxton leading Talarico by one percentage point. However, the result fell within the poll’s margin of error, leaving the candidates statistically close.
The finding marked a change from several earlier polls that had placed Talarico ahead of the Republican candidate.
Paxton received an endorsement from President Donald Trump during the Republican primary, helping him secure the nomination against incumbent Senator John Cornyn.
Although Cornyn has said he intends to vote for Paxton in the general election, he has not actively campaigned for his former rival.
Trump Attacks Cornyn and Karl Rove Over Paxton’s Prospects
Trump addressed the Texas Senate race on Thursday, criticising Cornyn and Republican political strategist Karl Rove.
The president described them as weak and ineffective political figures and suggested they would bear responsibility if Paxton failed to win the seat.
Trump also attacked Talarico, whom he has referred to as “TalaFREAKO”.
Rove, who served as a key adviser to former President George W. Bush, has publicly said he would not support Paxton, citing corruption charges and allegations of infidelity.
The dispute has highlighted divisions among Republicans over Paxton’s candidacy and the party’s approach to the Texas Senate contest.
Musk’s Political Team Raised Concerns About the Race
According to a report published by Axios on Thursday, Musk’s political team began discussing concerns about the Texas race with the Senate Leadership Fund in late August.
The report said Musk’s advisers were worried that Talarico’s advertisements were appearing extensively across television and other media, while Paxton’s campaign message was receiving less attention.
Musk’s senior political adviser, Chris Young, and SLF president Alex Latcham reportedly developed a fundraising plan intended to raise $20 million for Paxton’s campaign.
Under the reported arrangement, Musk would contribute $10 million, the Senate Leadership Fund would provide $5 million, and a pro-Paxton super PAC would raise the remaining $5 million.
The effort was followed by the creation of Texas PAC in September. The latest disclosures indicate that Musk is the committee’s sole donor, with the funds directed towards supporting Paxton.
Musk’s Political Relationship With Trump Has Changed Over Time
Musk was a major financial supporter of Trump during the 2024 presidential election campaign, but the two men experienced a public falling-out in June 2025 after Musk left his position at the Department of Government Efficiency.
By November 2025, Musk had re-established contact with Trump and attended a White House dinner involving Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Axios reported that Musk resumed making donations to Republican political causes in December.
Musk has also attended high-profile White House events, including a state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to the report.
His renewed political spending has included the substantial contributions now supporting the Texas Senate race.
Texas Race Holds Significance for Musk
The Texas contest is of particular interest to Musk because SpaceX is headquartered in the state.
The company’s presence in Texas places the state’s political environment among the issues of interest to the billionaire entrepreneur, who has become a major financial backer of Republican political causes.
The $158 million contribution represents a significant financial commitment to the political effort supporting Paxton as he competes against Talarico.
The Daily Mail said it had contacted the Senate Leadership Fund for comment.
