Elon Musk has spent approximately $366 million in the 2025-26 election cycle, surpassing his 2024 contributions. The spending, disclosed ahead of a Federal Election Commission deadline, targets Republican Senate and House races.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Elon Musk has become the largest known donor of the 2026 US midterm elections cycle, with total federal political spending reaching approximately $366 million. The figure, disclosed ahead of a Federal Election Commission filing deadline, surpasses the roughly $290 million Musk contributed during the 2024 presidential election.
According to figures provided by Musk’s representatives to The New York Times and confirmed by America PAC spokespersons, Musk has poured more than $276 million into Republican groups since July. The largest single contribution was $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC working to help Republicans retain control of the Senate. This donation ranks among the largest known political contributions by an individual in US history.
Other major contributions include:
The scale of Musk’s spending marks a sharp reversal from his public statements in May 2025. At that time, following a public falling out with President Donald Trump and his departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk stated, "In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future."
Since then, Musk and Trump have repaired their relationship, appearing together at several recent events. Musk has also maintained ties to the federal government through SpaceX, a major NASA and Pentagon contractor. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth named Musk co-director of Project Meridian, a Pentagon panel studying the future of warfare, last month.
Musk’s spending is heavily concentrated on races that will determine control of the US Senate. In Texas, where Musk’s companies including Tesla, X, and The Boring Company are headquartered, the Senate Leadership Fund and America PAC are spending heavily to support Republican candidate Ken Paxton against Democratic nominee James Talarico. As of October 12, FiftyPlusOne’s polling average showed Talarico leading Paxton 48.4% to 45.0%.
America PAC has deployed approximately 3,000 paid canvassers nationwide, visiting roughly 6.5 million households to target low-turnout Republican voters. The group has spent more than $11 million on the Texas Senate race alone.
Musk’s financial influence in the 2026 midterms underscores the role of individual mega-donors in US politics. His spending exceeds the total raised by the Democratic counterpart, Senate Majority PAC, from all its donors in the third quarter, according to The New York Times. The election results will determine the balance of power in Congress, impacting legislative priorities and potential oversight of Musk’s government contracts, which totaled at least $38 billion as of last year.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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