Musk Spends $158 Million to Keep Texas Red as Talarico Vows to Beat Billionaires
The campaign has become one of the costliest in the nation, with Elon Musk’s heavy spending clashing with Democratic attacks on the influence of the ultra-wealthy.
By Rafael Bailey ·
Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico called for a reset of the political system in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, framing the upcoming midterm election as a battle against a corruption crisis. He stood before a crowd in West Texas, a region that voted heavily for President Donald Trump in 2024, to challenge the billionaire influence dominating the race.
Talarico, a seminarian and former teacher, positioned himself as an underdog facing powerful adversaries, specifically naming President Trump and Elon Musk. Musk, who has made Texas his headquarters, is bankrolling a massive advertising effort to support Republican candidate Ken Paxton. The Democratic candidate argued that the current system allows the wealthy to dictate policy, fueling an affordability crisis that affects everyday voters.
The financial scale of the contest is staggering. AdImpact data shows that more than $563 million has been spent on advertising between the primary and general elections. A large portion of this comes from the Senate Leadership Fund, which received at least $158 million from Musk. That fund then transferred the same amount to a Texas political action committee, making it the largest contributor to Paxton’s campaign.
President Trump visited Texas for the third time in a month to rally support for Paxton. He told voters in Lubbock that Talarico did not represent their values, urging them not to take a chance. The president spoke in Corpus Christi earlier in the day, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefly appeared on stage. Rubio, who also serves as the president's national security adviser, traveled with Trump in that capacity, according to a State Department official.
Musk has amplified the attack on Talarico through social media, describing the Democrat as part of the "lunatic left" to his 241 million followers on X. This aggressive spending aligns with Talarico’s central message. The candidate has begun naming Musk directly in his stump speeches, stating that the billionaire is trying to buy Texas but that the state is not for sale. This narrative mirrors the governor’s race, where Democrat Gina Hinojosa is challenging incumbent Greg Abbott.
Hinojosa has sued to access communications between Abbott and Musk, arguing their relationship demonstrates the closeness of the governor to the ultra-wealthy. A judge ruled on Monday that Hinojosa, a state representative, must be able to review over 1,000 unredacted pages of these documents by Thursday. This legal maneuver adds another layer to the Democrats’ argument that money is shaping state leadership.
The midterm race is also serving as an early preview for the 2028 presidential cycle. Rubio, a top Republican prospect, kept his remarks brief during the trip, citing an honor in working for the country and the president. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Michigan, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg campaigned in Mississippi. Both 2028 contenders used the midterms to test their messages and gauge voter sentiment ahead of the next presidential election.
