Elon Musk has allegedly poured $168 million into Republican political groups supporting Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton as the party faces a closely contested election against Democrat James Talarico.
The race, which has garnered almost $340 million in ads, has emerged as a huge political challenge for U.S. President Donald Trump as November 3 middle-term elections approach.
The Associated Press (AP)Â reports that Musk gave $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which in turn sent the same amount to Texas PAC, which was a strong backer of Paxton.
He also gave another $10 million to the Republican candidate’s Lone Star Liberty PAC.
Texas Attorney General and incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn faced Paxton in the party primary and was defeated by him.
But his campaign has come under fire for previous corruption charges, including a 2023 impeachment by the Republican-led Texas House. The state Senate later acquitted him.
Talarico, meanwhile, has centred his campaign on rising living costs and political corruption, accusing wealthy donors of exercising excessive influence over American politics.
The Democratic candidate has also received support from some prominent Republicans, including Neil Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush.
Despite Texas’s longstanding Republican dominance, Democrats have intensified their efforts to win the Senate seat, which could prove important in determining control of the upper chamber.
The party has not won a statewide election in Texas for more than three decades.
Paxton has sought to portray Talarico as too liberal for the state’s voters, while emphasising his support for Trump’s political agenda.
