Elon Musk pours $158 million into Senate Leadership Fund, supercharging the 2024-25 midterm money race
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Elon Musk sent $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in the third quarter, cementing his place as the biggest megadonor to either party in the current midterm cycle.
Elon Musk has become the dominant financier of the 2024-25 U.S. midterm elections, dumping $158 million into the Senate Leadership Fund in the third quarter alone. The fund said it raised $273 million overall in the quarter, with Musk’s contribution making up 58 percent of that total. Across the cycle, Musk’s donations have now climbed past $366 million, leaving every other individual donor in both parties far behind.
That torrent of cash helped settle a funding fight among Texas Senate Republicans after Attorney General Ken Paxton won the GOP primary with President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Senate Republicans’ own political action committee had promised to pay for a possible rescue effort for Paxton, but the bulk of the money ultimately came from Musk’s checks to the Senate Leadership Fund, underscoring how one billionaire can overwhelm the process with sheer financial force.
Musk’s spending on the midterms now exceeds what he gave to President Trump’s 2024 campaign, even after he had said he would scale back political spending. He has not paired these donations with personal appearances or public endorsements, instead channeling money directly to Republican Senate candidates.
The article also notes turnover in the White House press secretary role, with Katie Zacharia leaving after a brief tenure. It also points to ongoing maneuvering in Senate races in Texas, Michigan, and Georgia, including fundraising totals and candidate statements, though those details are presented without editorial commentary.