Elon Musk's $445 Million Midterm Bet Backfires as Democrats Sweep Texas and Republicans Lose Both Chambers
Elon Musk spent at least $445 million supporting Republicans in the 2026 midterms, but Democratic victories in Texas and nationwide races limited the impact of his unprecedented political spending.
Texas flipped to the Democrats in the 2026 midterms, according to ABC News (Australia), while CBS News reported that James Talarico won a Texas Senate race and said the result sent a message to Elon Musk. BBC News reported that a Musk political action committee gave $47 million to Ken Paxton’s campaign. Reports put Musk’s overall election spending at different totals: WKBW cited $474 million, while Winnipeg Free Press reported $445 million; the sources do not explain the discrepancy.
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