Musk funds Senate GOP rescue of Paxton
The gist
Elon Musk gave $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund.
The money let Republicans flood costly Texas TV markets as Paxton narrowly trails in polls.
How it unfolded
- Late August 2026Musk's team reached out to Republicans, warning that unless the GOP poured more money into Texas immediately, the Senate race could be lost within weeks.
- Sep 9, 2026Musk donated $75 million to the Senate Leadership Fund PAC.
- Sep 10, 2026One day later, the Senate Leadership Fund disbursed the same amount to a Texas PAC.