Elon Musk gave $276 million to Republican groups, biggest known 2026 midterm donor

Elon Musk spent more than $276 million in newly disclosed donations to Republican groups since July, according to figures his representatives provided to The New York Times and confirmed to CNBC by Lindsey Curnutte, a spokesperson for Musk's America PAC. CNBC reported the total makes Musk the biggest known donor of the 2026 midterm election, as the Republican Party fights to hold its majorities in Washington this November.

The largest share, $158 million, went to the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC backing Republican Senate candidates, according to the figures confirmed to CNBC. CNBC reported the contribution is among the largest known political donations by an individual in U.S. history. Musk also gave more than $76 million to America PAC, the group he founded during the 2024 election, which CNBC reported has built a large voter-turnout operation in competitive Senate and House races.

Musk gave $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the leading super PAC supporting House Republicans, $10 million to the Republican Governors Association, $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association, The New York Times reported and Curnutte confirmed to CNBC. The new contributions bring Musk's known federal political giving for the 2025-26 cycle to roughly $366 million, CNBC reported, surpassing the approximately $290 million he spent during the 2024 presidential election.

The figures were disclosed days ahead of a Thursday Federal Election Commission filing deadline, when political committees are due to report their third-quarter finances, according to CNBC. CNBC reported the Senate Leadership Fund has spent heavily this cycle to defend the Republican majority, including in Texas, where Paxton is running against Democrat James Talarico. Talarico leads Paxton 48.4% to 45.0% in FiftyPlusOne's polling average as of Oct. 12, CNBC reported.

CNBC reported the spending is a sharp reversal from Musk's public comments last year. "In terms of political spending, I'm going to do a lot less in the future," Musk said in May 2025, according to CNBC. The Verge reported that Musk has consistently failed to stick to that promise so far.

CNBC reported Musk retains deep ties to the federal government through SpaceX, a major NASA and Pentagon contractor, and that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month named him co-director of Project Meridian, a Pentagon panel studying the future of warfare. CNBC also reported that Tesla, X and The Boring Company are now headquartered in Texas and that SpaceX is growing its manufacturing and launch operations there.