President Donald Trump has initiated the first significant campaign expenditure of the midterm election cycle, directing $10 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The donation aims to bolster Paxton’s surprisingly competitive bid for the U.S. Senate against Democrat James Talarico.
According to a Federal Election Commission filing submitted on Saturday, the funding is split evenly, with $5 million allocated for negative advertising targeting Talarico and an additional $5 million designated for positive ads promoting Paxton. The funds are being managed by Del Ray Media Inc., a political media firm responsible for executing both television and digital advertising campaigns.
This contribution marks a pivotal shift in strategy for MAGA Inc., which currently holds a war chest of approximately $400 million. Despite its substantial resources, the super PAC had not previously directed any major donations toward midterm races. Prior to this, its only expenditure was an $827,000 contribution to Senator Darline Graham’s campaign in South Carolina, bringing its total spending on midterm races to just over $1 million since the cycle began.
The influx of cash comes as Paxton faces a closely contested race in Texas, a state that has not elected a Democratic senator in three decades. Polling from the University of Texas at Austin indicates that Paxton maintains a 61% approval rating among Republicans, despite past controversies. He survived an impeachment trial in 2023 involving allegations of bribery and dereliction of duty, during which personal revelations about an affair emerged.
Talarico has kept pace with Paxton in most polls, drawing increased fire from the president recently. Trump recently coined the nickname “Tala-freako” for the Democrat, describing him as one of the worst candidates he has ever encountered. Talarico has embraced the moniker, selling merchandise featuring the nickname.
While MAGA Inc. has remained quiet on national messaging, its affiliated nonprofit, Securing American Greatness, released its first nationwide advertisement focused on President Trump rather than specific congressional candidates. The ad has caused some concern among Republican candidates worried that the super PAC’s spending priorities might focus on promoting the president’s brand rather than down-ballot races.
Trump has previously indicated his intent to deploy significant personal funds and raised capital to support Republican candidates he deems viable. Speaking on Aug. 21, the president told reporters he had raised approximately $850 million and would spend generously on candidates like Graham and Paxton.
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Sixty-one percent approval in Texas? That is surprisingly high given the impeachment saga. Paxton really has a solid base.
I wonder if this massive $10M spend will actually move the needle. Texas has been leaning Republican for thirty years, right?
The concern about Securing American Greatness prioritizing Trump over down-ballot races is real. We need to watch where that $400M war chest goes next.