Key facts
- James Talarico accused Elon Musk of trying to buy political influence in Texas.
- Talarico declared "Texas is not for sale" at a rally on Friday.
- Musk has contributed $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which supported Ken Paxton.
- Talarico's campaign claims 97% of its donations are under $100.
- Talarico leads Ken Paxton by 1.8 percentage points in recent polls.
Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico accused tech mogul Elon Musk of attempting to buy political influence in Texas during a campaign rally on Friday at the University of Texas at Austin. Talarico declared, “Texas is not for sale,” warning that Musk is single-handedly funding efforts to install his opponent, Ken Paxton, in the Senate.
Talarico, a state representative, stated that Musk's campaign is funded by "one dude," contrasting it with his own grassroots fundraising, which he said comes from 1.3 million individuals. He alleged that Musk wants Texas's land, water, and tax dollars, and his own personal senator.
Federal filings show Musk contributed $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which transferred the same amount to Texas PAC, a Republican super PAC supporting Paxton. Talarico's campaign reported raising $64 million from July through September, with 97% of donations under $100 each. The race is considered one of the most closely watched in the upcoming midterm elections.