Elon Musk could spend $200M boosting GOP as Texas Ken Paxton battles fundraising gap

Elon Musk is likely to shell out nine-figure sums to help Republicans fend off Democrats in this year’s midterm elections — particularly in Texas, where GOP Senate hopeful Ken Paxton faces a massive fundraising disadvantage.Officials briefed on the matter told Wired that Musk is expected to spend between $100 million and $200 million to boost Republicans, though the precise amount could change.The Tesla and SpaceX boss is expected to focus his political war chest on voter turnout in competitive races, with the closely watched Texas contest between Paxton and Democrat James Talarico among the potential beneficiaries.Talarico has raised $68.6 million through June 30, more than seven times the roughly $9.2 million hauled in by Paxton’s campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings.The Democrat also held $21.5 million in cash at the end of June compared with just $1.8 million for Paxton, the filings showed.Despite the massive money gap, the race remains a toss-up.An Emerson College poll conducted Aug.9 and 10 had Paxton leading Talarico 47% to 46% among likely voters, while eight nonpartisan public polls conducted since the Republican runoff collectively show the race hovering around a dead heat.Musk’s cash could help Paxton make up some of the difference, particularly if it is pumped into a sophisticated get-out-the-vote operation, according to Costas Panagopoulos, a distinguished professor of political science at Northeastern University.“It’s a considerable sum that has the potential to shake things up in certain races across the country,” Panagopoulos told The Post.“Money does not dictate outcomes in elections,” he added, but major spending can force opponents to spend more and “create communication imbalances that are hard to overcome.”The strategy would build on Musk’s massive political operation during the 2024 presidential election, when he spent at least $288 million helping Donald Trump and other Republicans, according to a...