Elon Musk political donations
Texas, home to SpaceX and Tesla, has received the largest share of Musk’s midterm spending as Paxton trails Talarico in recent polls Screnshot from YT: Joe Rogan Experience

Elon Musk put another $76.78 million (£57.3 million) into his America PAC in the first two weeks of October, new federal filings show, even as polls put Democratic Senate candidates ahead in Texas, Alaska, and Ohio, three states Donald Trump won by double digits in 2024.

The money, aimed at turning out Republican voters before the 3 November midterms, pushes Musk's known political giving this cycle past $440 million (£328.5 million).

Three Cheques in Eight Days

America PAC's pre-general report to the Federal Election Commission, filed on Thursday, lists contributions from Musk of $12.6 million (£9.4 million) on 6 October, $19 million (£14.2 million) on 8 October, and $43.2 million (£32.3 million) on 14 October.

Another $1.98 million (£1.5 million) came on 14 October through an entity named United States of America Inc. and is attributed to Musk in the report's memo entries. Political finance reporter Teddy Schleifer, who shared the filing on X, put Musk's total for America PAC alone this cycle at $178 million (£132.9 million).

The October cheques come on top of about $366 million (£273.3 million) Musk had given by the end of September, according to figures America PAC confirmed earlier this month. More than $276 million (£206.1 million) of that arrived between July and September alone. His cycle total already exceeds the roughly $290 million (£216.5 million) he spent on the 2024 presidential race.

If Democrats win control of Washington, 'America risks becoming a socialist, woke and borderless country,' America PAC spokesperson Andrew Romeo said in a statement.

From 'Done Enough' to Biggest Donor

In May 2025, as he left his role in the Trump administration, Musk said he planned to cut back on political donations, remarking, 'I think I've done enough.' Weeks later, he fell out publicly with the president and threatened to start a third party.

Having since rebuilt ties with Trump, Musk in July 2026 authorised America PAC to spend $100 million to $120 million (£74.7 million to £89.6 million) on a midterm field operation built around canvassing, digital ads, texts, and mailers rather than television. Its early filings showed spending in Senate races in Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, and Michigan.

Democrats Ahead in Trump Country

Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control.

New York Times/Siena College polls of likely voters released on 3 October showed state Rep. James Talarico leading Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton 51 percent to 45 percent. In Alaska, former Rep. Mary Peltola led Sen. Dan Sullivan 50 percent to 43 percent, while former Sen. Sherrod Brown led Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio 49 percent to 46 percent.

Iowa and Kansas were closer. Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee in Iowa, led Democrat Josh Turek 48 percent to 47 percent, and Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall was tied with Democrat Adam Hamilton at 45 percent in a state that has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. Trump won Iowa by about 13 points in 2024 and Kansas by about 16.

Later polls held steady. A Siena College/ReconMR survey released on 13 October gave Talarico a 48 percent to 44 percent lead, and Marist had Brown ahead by the same margin among Ohio likely voters in mid-October.

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Texas Gets the Biggest Share

Texas, where Musk lives and where SpaceX and Tesla are based, has drawn the most money. FEC filings show the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC for Republican Senate candidates, received $75 million (£56 million) from Musk on 9 September and $83 million (£62 million) on 23 September, and each time moved an identical sum the next day to Texas PAC, which backs Paxton. Musk also gave $10 million (£7.5 million) to Lone Star Liberty PAC, another pro-Paxton group. Paxton, whom Trump endorsed, beat Sen. John Cornyn in a May runoff.

In Ohio, America PAC had spent about $8.9 million (£6.6 million) on ads and voter outreach supporting Husted through 20 October, FEC records show.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, wrote on X on 21 October, 'Musk's super PACs have now spent over $400 million to buy the midterm elections.'

Thursday's reports were the last regular disclosures due before Election Day. Early voting in Texas began on 19 October.

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