By Dawn Kopecki
NEW YORK, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Elon Musk has spent roughly $366 million on the 2026 midterm elections so far, $276 million just since July, trying to help Republicans retain control of Congress, even as Democrats’ chances of retaking the US House and Senate have improved.
Musk’s largess, which was reported earlier by the New York Times, makes the world’s richest person likely the single-biggest political donor in this year’s races, according to campaign finance records.
There is a lot at stake for Musk with House Democrats calling for investigations into his government contracts as CEO of aerospace company SpaceX as well as his work running the Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump.
Here’s a breakdown of his political spending, which was confirmed by a spokesman for his super PAC America PAC.
• Musk has spent $366 million so far this election cycle, which began January 1, 2025.
• Of that, Musk has donated at least $276 million to Republican groups and his own super PAC since July. Of the $276 million in third-quarter donations:$158 million went to the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC set up to help elect Republicans to the Senate that is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota.$20 million went to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC set up for House Republicans that is aligned with House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican.$76 million went to Musk’s America PAC.$10 million went to the Lone Star Liberty PAC, which is supporting Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s run for the US Senate in Texas, where recent polls have him in a dead heat against Democrat James Talarico.$10 million went to the Republican Governors Association.$2 million went to the Republican Attorneys General Association.
• America PAC is helping Republican candidates in seven battleground states and nearly three dozen House races.
• The new giving will be publicly disclosed when many super PACs are required to disclose their third-quarter spending on Thursday.
• Musk has also donated more money through groups that don’t disclose their donors, according to the New York Times report and confirmed by an America PAC spokesman.
• Musk spent roughly $290 million during the last election cycle.
(Reporting by Dawn KopeckiEditing by Bill Berkrot)
