Elon Musk Has Spent $366 Million in 2026 Midterm Cycle, Mostly on Groups Backing Republican Candidates

NEW YORK — Elon Musk has spent about $366 million during the 2026 U.S. midterm election cycle, with $276 million of that contributed since July to groups supporting Republican candidates for Congress and state offices, according to figures confirmed by a spokesman for his political committee, America PAC.

The figures were first reported by The New York Times. They make Musk the largest known individual donor of the current cycle, which began Jan. 1, 2025.

The midterm elections will be held Nov. 3, with control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate at stake. Republicans currently hold majorities in both chambers.

Breakdown of contributions

Most of the $276 million contributed in the third quarter went to super PACs focused on congressional races.

The largest single contribution, $158 million, went to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC that supports Republican Senate candidates and is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. Musk gave $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, which supports House Republicans and is aligned with House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, and $76 million to America PAC.

Musk also contributed $10 million to the Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, $10 million to the Republican Governors Association and $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association.

America PAC is supporting Republican candidates in seven battleground states and in nearly three dozen House races, according to the breakdown.

Musk has also contributed through groups that are not required to disclose their donors, according to the Times report, which an America PAC spokesman confirmed. The amounts of those contributions were not made public.

In the previous election cycle, Musk spent roughly $290 million.

Statements from both sides

Andrew Romeo, a spokesman for America PAC, said the contributions were intended to help Republicans compete in the elections.

"These robust investments have allowed the GOP apparatus to get its message out," Romeo said, adding that the spending gives Republicans a chance to defy historical trends. He also argued that Democratic victories in congressional and key state races would put the country at risk of becoming what he described as a "socialist, woke and borderless country."

Lauren French, a spokesperson for Senate Majority PAC, the main super PAC supporting Democratic Senate candidates, criticized the spending.

"Republicans are hoping to buy these elections," French said, arguing that Republicans were spending heavily to offset what she described as unpopular candidates, an unpopular president and an unpopular economy.

Political context

The party that holds the White House has historically lost seats in Congress in midterm elections, a pattern Romeo referenced in his statement. With President Donald Trump in office and Republicans controlling Congress, Republicans are seeking to buck that trend.

Issues expected to influence the outcome include the cost of living and the president's approval ratings, according to reporting on the campaign. Democrats need a relatively small net gain in seats to win control of the House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority.

Musk's political activity

Musk, the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, became one of the most prominent political donors in the 2024 election, when he spent heavily to support Trump and Republican candidates. He later served in a role in the Trump administration.

He had previously suggested he might reduce his political spending for the midterms. He later authorized America PAC to spend $100 million to $120 million on a field program focused on turning out conservative voters this year.

In the 2024 cycle, America PAC funded voter outreach including door-knocking, text messaging, phone calls, mailers and advertising in battleground states.

How super PACs work

Super PACs may raise and spend unlimited sums from individuals, corporations and unions, provided they do not coordinate directly with candidates' campaigns. They are required to disclose their donors to the Federal Election Commission.

Some politically active nonprofit groups, by contrast, are not required to publicly disclose their donors, which is why the full extent of spending through such organizations is often not known.

Large donors on both sides of the political spectrum use super PACs and affiliated groups to support candidates. Supporters of the system say it protects political speech, while critics argue it gives wealthy individuals disproportionate influence over elections.

Focus on Senate and state races

The largest share of Musk's recent giving went toward Senate races. Control of the Senate determines the confirmation of judicial and executive branch nominees and affects the passage of legislation.

The Congressional Leadership Fund contribution is directed at House races, where both parties are competing in a limited number of closely contested districts.

The contribution to the Lone Star Liberty PAC relates to the Senate race in Texas, where Paxton, the state's attorney general, is the Republican candidate. The donations to the Republican Governors Association and the Republican Attorneys General Association relate to state-level contests also on the ballot in November.

Upcoming disclosures

Campaign finance reports due before Election Day will provide updated figures on fundraising and spending by candidates and political committees from both parties, including whether Musk makes further contributions in the final weeks of the campaign.

With three weeks remaining before the election, both parties and their allied groups are expected to increase spending on advertising and voter turnout efforts in competitive states and districts.