Trump and Musk super PACs pour millions into key Republican districts ahead of midterms

NEW YORK, Sept. 11 (Reuters) — The two biggest financial backers of the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections—U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk—are finally beginning to spend money with less than eight weeks until Election Day.

With Republicans at risk of losing control of at least one chamber of Congress and polls showing higher turnout intentions among Democratic voters, a group affiliated with Trump has started spending tens of millions of dollars booking television ad slots in competitive races.

Trump’s approval ratings are at their lowest point in his political career, and he told reporters last week that he plans to allocate $400 million to $500 million to support Republicans in the midterms.

Key Spending Details

According to AdImpact, a political advertising research firm, the Trump-affiliated Republican super PAC “No Going Back” has secured more than $24.9 million in ad time across six battleground states:

• Alaska
• Georgia
• Michigan
• North Carolina
• New Hampshire
• Ohio

In addition, Musk’s America PAC and Trump’s primary fundraising arm, MAGA Inc., recently invested $2.4 million and $10 million, respectively, in the U.S. Senate race for Texas. State Attorney General Ken Paxton faces the risk of becoming the first Republican in decades to lose a statewide election to a Democrat.

Approximately $6.9 million of this funding is being used to air attack ads against Democratic state legislator James Talarico. According to polling averages compiled by Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin, Talarico currently leads Paxton by 2.1 percentage points.

Strategist Commentary

Republican strategist Brad Dayspring said:

“Republicans now have to spend real money to defend an expanded map. When you suddenly need to pour millions into Texas, President Trump and Musk open their wallets, enabling Republicans to shore up vulnerable campaigns without having to divert resources from other regions.”

Mobilization Efforts

Musk’s America PAC is expected to play a major role in mobilizing Republican voters in key states, investing in:

• Door-to-door canvassing
• Digital advertising
• Direct mail campaigns

Federal filings show Musk has already spent over $7 million on digital ads, text messages, voter calls, emails, and other printed materials ahead of the November 3 election.

PAC Structure and Strategy

Trump’s midterm war chest is supporting the new No Going Back super PAC. Although MAGA Inc. and No Going Back are not formally linked, they share the same treasurer, Charles Gantt, phone number, and address.

The New York Times reported that No Going Back spent $49 million booking ads on Tuesday and Wednesday alone.

The new PAC registered with the Federal Election Commission on September 1. Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said this helps distance Trump and his MAGA movement from campaign donations amid voter dissatisfaction with the president. Any ads run by the new PAC will be credited to No Going Back PAC rather than MAGA Inc., which is closely tied to Trump’s political brand.

Bonjean said:

“It’s a brilliant strategy because it removes ‘MAGA’ from the name and eliminates any association with Trump in the title. It has a benign name that no one will pay attention to, whereas MAGA Inc. might immediately alienate independent voters.”

Under FEC rules, No Going Back’s registration timing will delay full disclosure of its donors until late October.

Trump Dividend Proposal

On Wednesday, during the first day of the Republicans’ inaugural midterm convention in Dallas, Trump proposed paying every American adult a $5,000 “Trump Dividend” if the party wins congressional elections. It remains unclear how such payments would work or whether they would be legal.

Source: Reuters