The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the top super PAC for the Republican Party, has reported its highest-ever quarterly fundraising haul, amassing $272.9 million from July through September. This massive influx, driven largely by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, has given the group over $155 million in cash heading into the final weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.
Musk's contributions were the standout feature of the SLF's third-quarter report. He donated a total of $158 million in September through a Texas PAC supporting Republican Ken Paxton. His two contributions of $75 million and $83 million rank among the largest political donations ever recorded. Musk's single donation even surpassed the entire third-quarter fundraising of the Democratic Senate Majority PAC, which raised $151 million.
The SLF's record-breaking haul has significantly boosted Republican financial resources as they work to maintain their 53-seat Senate majority. The group has already spent over $30 million in North Carolina and has redirected efforts to Kansas, where Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tough challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton. Additionally, the SLF has committed $15 million to defend Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts in Nebraska, despite Trump's strong 2024 victory there.
In Texas, the SLF has been pivotal in defending Republican Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico, whose campaign has unexpectedly become one of the most expensive Senate races in the country. Republican groups spent roughly $122 million in Texas in September alone, with another $66 million reserved for advertising through Election Day. Talarico reported raising $64 million in the third quarter, a record for a Senate candidate, while Paxton raised $10.2 million.