President Donald Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., has begun deploying its huge financial reserves ahead of the US midterm elections, announcing $10 million in advertising spending to support Republican Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
The move follows growing concerns among Republicans that they could be outspent in several competitive races that may determine which party controls Congress after the elections.
Paxton is locked in a close contest with Democrat James Talarico, who had enjoyed a significant advantage on the airwaves for several weeks this summer before MAGA Inc. entered the race.
MAGA Inc. reported having more than $400 million in cash available at the end of July. Trump also said on Friday that he was prepared to spend as much as $500 million in outside money under his control during the midterm campaign.
“We’re going to spend a lot of money because we don’t want to lose our country,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
An early MAGA Inc. advertisement supporting Paxton focuses on taxes, presenting the Republican as a candidate who would seek to ease the financial pressure on Texans by reducing their tax burden.
“High Tax Talarico wants to take money out of Texans’ pockets,” MAGA, Inc. spokesman Alex Pfeiffer said in a statement on Saturday. “MAGA Inc. is going to ensure Texas knows about Talarico’s radical policies and elects Ken Paxton to the U.S. Senate.”
Talarico’s campaign dismissed the allegations, describing them as false attacks driven by Republican concerns over the increasingly competitive race.
“Billionaire-backed dark money groups are lying about James Talarico because they’re scared of the people-powered movement we’re building to fix this broken, corrupt political system,” campaign spokesperson JT Ennis said in a statement later on Saturday. “James was proud to vote for the largest property tax cut in Texas history and has consistently voted to cut taxes for working Texans.”
The latest investment from MAGA Inc., alongside fresh spending from a super PAC linked to billionaire Elon Musk, could alter the dynamics of the contest as Republicans seek to maintain control of the Senate after the November midterm elections.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a Senate majority.
MAGA Inc.’s intervention in the race comes only days before Republicans are expected to gather in Texas for an unusual midterm convention focused on mobilising the party’s supporters.
Trump’s decision to endorse Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary earlier this year had already raised questions about the amount of money that would be needed to strengthen Paxton’s appeal in the general election.
Paxton, who is currently Texas attorney general, has been embroiled in several controversies over the years. In 2023, the state House voted to impeach him over allegations of bribery and corruption, but the Texas Senate later acquitted him of all charges.
Talarico, a Texas state representative, released his first negative advertisement targeting Paxton late last month, using the allegations surrounding the Republican’s record as a central part of his attack.
