Elon Musk contributed $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the largest Senate super PAC backing Republicans, in September, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings. The donations, made in two installments of $75 million and $83 million, accounted for more than half of the SLF’s $272.9 million third-quarter haul, the group’s largest quarterly fundraising total on record.
The SLF reported ending September with $155 million in cash, providing Republicans a financial advantage as they seek to maintain their 53-seat Senate majority in the November midterms. The super PAC’s haul surpassed its previous records, including $216 million in the final quarter of 2020 and $116 million in the third quarter of 2024. The SLF’s FEC filing shows $209.7 million of its third-quarter total came from donors, with Musk’s contributions alone exceeding the $151 million raised by the Democratic Senate Majority PAC in the same period.
Musk’s donations routed to Texas Senate race
Within one day of each Musk donation, the SLF disbursed the full amount to a Texas-based PAC supporting Republican Ken Paxton, according to FEC records. The Texas PAC reported spending over $100 million on pro-Paxton and anti-Democratic opponent James Talarico advertisements. Musk, a Texas resident whose companies SpaceX and Tesla operate in the state, has publicly criticized Talarico in recent weeks.
Paxton, the current Texas Attorney General, faces a competitive challenge from Talarico, a Democrat attempting to become the first non-Republican to win a statewide race in Texas in over 30 years. Paxton defeated incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in a primary earlier this year, creating divisions within the state’s Republican Party.
Republican financial edge in key battlegrounds
The SLF’s record fundraising has allowed Republicans to redirect resources to competitive races. The group paused additional spending in North Carolina, where it had already allocated over $30 million, and shifted funds to Kansas to support Senator Roger Marshall against Democrat Adam Hamilton. In Nebraska, the SLF committed $15 million to defend Senator Pete Ricketts, including $7 million in direct spending.
The Democratic Senate Majority PAC, which raised $151 million in the third quarter, reported $111.8 million in cash at the end of September. The group’s FEC filing for the period has not yet been released. The SLF’s financial advantage comes as Republicans defend a narrow Senate majority in races across the country, with polls indicating tight contests in several states.