Elon Musk's America PAC spends over $800,000 in key midterm races

Elon Musk's super PAC is putting its first midterm money behind some of the GOP's most important election battlegrounds, spending more than $800,000 across seven Senate races and a handful of competitive House districts, according to a new Federal Election Commission disclosure.

The spending by America PAC offers the clearest look yet at where the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is directing his political operation, after the billionaire who previously supported Democrats reportedly authorized the group to spend as much as $120 million on an effort to help elect Republicans this November.

Nearly 90% of the $800,475 disclosed Wednesday night went toward Senate races, with the largest share — more than $247,000 — spent in Texas to support Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and oppose Democrat James Talarico in an increasingly competitive contest.

Paxton has struggled to keep pace with Talarico's spending. As of Aug. 20, Talarico's campaign had spent more than $25 million on advertising since the general election began in late May, compared with just $119,000 by Paxton's campaign, according to AdImpact data cited by the Texas Tribune.

America PAC had been increasingly targeting Talarico on social media before the newly disclosed expenditures.

The group also spent about $170,000 in Maine, where Republican Sen. Susan Collins is seeking reelection, and nearly $106,000 in Ohio to support Republican Sen. Jon Husted. The PAC disclosed another $91,459 in New Hampshire, $54,600 in Iowa, $25,605 in Michigan and $17,235 in Alaska.

The expenditures were made between Aug. 18 and Aug. 31, with the disclosure also listing two expenditures scheduled for Sept. 10. All were categorized as printing expenses, indicating the money was being used for mail advertising.

America PAC spent much less on House races, which are usually cheaper than statewide races, directing nearly $90,000 across eight contests. The spending benefited Republican Reps. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Mike Lawler of New York, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey, and Scott Perry, Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, as well as Republican Scott Singer, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in Florida.

The spending was disclosed days after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., reportedly met with Musk in Texas while campaigning for Republicans in competitive congressional races. Johnson later told House Republican leaders about the meeting but did not say whether Musk had made any commitments about midterm spending.

"He's made public a lot of what he's doing," Johnson said to CBS News when asked about Musk's plans. "I'm not going to talk about our conversation on that point, but we're going to win the midterms."

Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

Musk spent hundreds of millions of dollars supporting President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates in 2024, including more than $239 million given to America PAC. But he later appeared ready to retreat from that level of political involvement after joining the Trump administration to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, then having a public falling out with the president.

Asked last year whether he intended to continue spending at the same pace, Musk said he planned to spend "a lot less" on politics.

"I think I've done enough," Musk said.

But Musk has since repaired his relationship with Trump and Republican leaders. The New York Times reported in July that Musk had authorized America PAC to spend up to $120 million on a field program aimed at electing Republicans this November.

The latest expenditures are still just a fraction of that potential commitment.