The final stretch of the Texas Senate race has brought an increasingly public clash between Democratic candidate James Talarico and billionaire Elon Musk, spanning social media and campaign events. Talarico accused Musk of trying to influence the election through massive political donations, while Musk posted that Talarico had “serious problems.”
The dispute comes ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Polls currently show Talarico leading Republican candidate Ken Paxton, Texas’ attorney general. Musk’s recent financial support for groups backing Paxton has made the race a focal point in the US midterm campaign funding contest and the wider debate over the political influence of billionaires.
Talarico accuses Musk of trying to “buy” Texas
Musk wrote on X on Wednesday that “Talarico has serious problems.” Talarico responded: “The political system that allows billionaires to buy themselves a US senator is the one with serious problems.”
Speaking at a campaign event at the University of Houston’s main campus, Talarico also linked Musk to a range of campaign materials appearing during the race. He said voters’ exposure to attack ads, mailers and text messages was likely connected to Musk. Talarico alleged that Musk wanted access to Texas land, water resources and taxpayer funds, and was seeking to have “his own US senator.”
Talarico said Texas voters would respond to that level of political spending on Nov. 3, adding that “Texas is not for sale.” Those claims are part of Talarico’s campaign’s political argument. Musk has not issued a point-by-point response to the specific allegations.
Musk gives $168 million to Paxton-aligned groups
The dispute follows Musk’s $158 million donation in September to the Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC. The money subsequently flowed to a Texas political action committee supporting Paxton’s Senate campaign.
Musk also donated $10 million to the Lone Star Liberty PAC, another group backing Paxton. The two contributions total $168 million, creating a substantial source of funding in the Texas Senate contest and making Musk one of the election’s most closely watched outside donors.
Musk is also the chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla. When the donations were disclosed, polls showed Paxton trailing Talarico. The focus surrounding the donations has been less about the companies’ operations than about how a single entrepreneur’s large-scale spending in one state Senate race could shape campaign messaging, policy debates and public views of the political role of business leaders.
Fundraising gap separates the two campaigns
Talarico’s campaign said it raised $64 million in the third quarter, a record for a Senate candidate during that period. Paxton’s campaign raised about $18 million over the same quarter, significantly less than Talarico.
Earlier this year, Paxton defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary, securing the party’s Senate nomination. Paxton’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Musk’s donations or Talarico’s allegations.
The candidates’ fundraising totals, spending by outside groups and polling gap remain subject to change. The established figures include Musk’s $168 million in donations to related political groups and the two campaigns’ third-quarter fundraising totals. Their public dispute over political influence has added another point of attention for voters as the Nov. 3 election approaches.