Elon Musk has donated over $276 million to Republican midterm efforts
He’s by far the biggest known midterm donor.
byJess Weatherbed Oct 12, 2026, 12:52 PM EDT
Elon Musk has handed out at least $276 million to Republican groups since July, The New York Times reports, making him both the party’s top known donor and the biggest established midterm donor. $158 million of that money — one of the largest political donations in American history — has been funneled into the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC that aims to secure and maintain a Republican Senate majority. Among others, it’s fighting to retain the party’s Senate seat in Texas, which serves as a major hub for Musk’s business empire.
He’s also donated over $76 million to America PAC, a super PAC Musk founded in 2024 that canvasses for hard-to-reach Republican voters. Smaller amounts have also been given to other conservative groups, including:
- $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC for House Republicans
- $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, supporting Ken Paxton’s Senate Seat bid in Texas
- $10 million to the Republican Governors Association
- $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association
The roughly $366 million that Musk has donated to federal committees over the entire 2025-26 election cycle is significantly higher than the $290 million he gave out in 2024 to help President Trump return to office, when he pledged to spend “around $45 million a month.” That’s despite Musk announcing in May last year that “In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future.” He’s consistently failed to stick to that promise so far.
