WASHINGTON, US – Billionaire Elon Musk has spent approximately $366 million on the 2026 US midterm election cycle, including $276 million since July, to help Republicans retain control of Congress as Democrats’ prospects of regaining the House of Representatives and Senate improve.
The spending, previously reported by The New York Times, could make Musk the biggest individual political donor in this year’s races, according to campaign finance records.
Musk’s political spending comes as Democrats in the House call for investigations into his government contracts as head of aerospace company SpaceX and his work leading the Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump.
A spokesman for Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, confirmed the spending figures.
Musk Directs Millions To Republican Groups
Musk has spent approximately $366 million since the current election cycle began on January 1, 2025. At least $276 million has gone to Republican-aligned groups and his own political action committee since July.
The third-quarter donations include:
- $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting Republican Senate candidates and aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
- $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting House Republicans and aligned with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
- $76 million to Musk’s America PAC.
- $10 million to the Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s bid for the US Senate.
- $10 million to the Republican Governors Association.
- $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association.
America PAC is supporting Republican candidates in seven battleground states and nearly three dozen House races.
The new donations are expected to be publicly disclosed when many super PACs file their third-quarter spending reports.
Musk’s Spending Comes Amid Political Scrutiny
Musk’s political influence extends beyond donations to groups that publicly disclose their funding. According to The New York Times, he has also channelled money through organisations that do not disclose their donors.
An estimated $90 million in spending during the current election cycle covered activities linked to the previous election or supported other causes, according to an America PAC spokesman.
Those expenditures included support for an unsuccessful candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and a controversial programme offering $1 million to registered voters who signed a petition supporting free speech and gun rights.
Musk spent approximately $290 million during the previous election cycle, when Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
The latest spending comes as control of Congress is at stake in the November 2026 midterm elections, with the outcome set to shape the legislative agenda for the remainder of Trump’s term.
