Intro: Trump and Musk are unleashing major political spending as Republicans confront increasingly competitive races ahead of November’s midterm elections.
New York
With less than eight weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk are stepping up financial support for Republican candidates as the party faces growing risks of losing control of Congress.
A Trump-connected political action committee, No Going Back, has reserved more than $24.9 million in television advertising across six battleground states Alaska, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Ohio, according to AdImpact.
Trump said last week he planned to spend between $400 million and $500 million to help Republicans during the midterms. His approval rating remains near the lowest level of his political career, while polling indicates Democrats are more motivated to vote.
Musk’s America PAC and Trump’s MAGA Inc. have also injected millions into the Senate race in Texas, where Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing a strong challenge from Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico.
The groups have spent $2.4 million and $10 million respectively in the Texas contest, with about $6.9 million going toward attack advertisements against Talarico. He leads Paxton by 2.1 percentage points in an average of polls compiled by Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin.
America PAC has already spent more than $7 million on digital advertising, voter calls, text messages, mailers and printed campaign materials.
Trump’s political operation is also backing the newly established No Going Back super PAC, although its precise funding arrangement remains unclear.
Republican strategist Brad Dayspring said the expanded electoral map means Republicans must spend heavily to defend vulnerable races, while Trump and Musk’s financial backing could help protect resources elsewhere.
Brad Dayspring, Republican strategist: “When you suddenly have to put millions into Texas, having President Trump and Musk open their wallets gives Republicans the ability to shore up vulnerable races without draining resources from the rest of the map.”
