Key facts
- Talarico told CNN he would take Musk's call and said he would work with anyone.
- Musk spent about $224 million backing Republican candidates in Texas, much of it against Talarico.
- Talarico said his victory carried a mandate to get big money out of politics.
- Shares in SpaceX and Tesla fell after the results, wiping nearly $130 billion in market value, the report said.
- Analysts warned Democratic control of Texas could create regulatory hurdles for SpaceX and Tesla, the report said.
James Talarico, newly elected to a Texas Senate seat, said on November 4, 2026 that he was willing to work with Elon Musk, despite the SpaceX and Tesla CEO spending about $224 million to try to stop the state from turning Democratic. "Like I said, I'll work with anyone," Talarico told CNN on Wednesday when asked if he would take Musk's call.
Talarico said his victory was a message to "every billionaire mega-donor" that power in the state could not be bought. "We have a mandate the size of Texas. And I think the first thing we've got to do is get big money out of our politics so no billionaire, no trillionaire can buy our elections in this country," he said.
Musk spent about $224 million backing Republican candidates in Texas, much of which went toward Talarico's opponent, Ken Paxton, according to the report. The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive also posted criticism of Mr. Talalibco on X ahead of the election, the report said. Talia said in an earlier interview with NBC on Wednesday that he had been a fan of Musk before the spending and wanted him to focus on business.
In the election, Talia defeated Mr. Paxton, while Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa unseated Republican governor Greg Abbott, according to the report. Shares in SpaceX and Tesla fell after the results, wiping nearly $130 billion in market value from the two companies, the report said. Analysts warned that Democratic dominance over Texas could upset the rapid AI buildout in the state and create fresh regulatory hurdles for SpaceX and Tesla, according to the report.