Elon Musk plans Republican midterm spending, Axios says

Axios reported Thursday that Elon Musk is preparing a major spending push to help Republicans retain control of Congress in November's midterm elections.

The outlet, citing people familiar with the effort, said Musk plans to reactivate America PAC, the political organisation that spent more than $260 million supporting Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

Axios said the group is expected to focus on door-to-door canvassing, digital advertising and direct mail aimed at mobilising conservative voters who are less likely to vote in non-presidential elections. Musk has not specified how much he intends to spend. America PAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 2026 effort will reportedly be led by Musk political adviser Chris Young and coordinated with other Republican groups, allowing them to focus more on television advertising. Trump political adviser James Blair told Axios that America PAC's return was a major boost for Republicans.

The reported plan follows Musk's turbulent relationship with Trump. Musk briefly served in the administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, later publicly split with the president over Republican spending legislation and suggested he might create a third party. He later resumed giving to Republican causes, including multimillion-dollar donations to individual candidates and conservative political groups.

Musk's campaign activity has also faced legal challenges. A federal judge ordered him to testify in lawsuits accusing America PAC of misleading voters over its promise to award $1 million daily to registered voters who signed a political petition before the 2024 election. The plaintiffs argue the winners were not selected randomly, as Musk had suggested, but chosen because they could act as spokespeople for the group.

A Wisconsin panel also found that similar promised payments during a state Supreme Court campaign may have violated bribery laws. US media analyses of federal election filings say billionaire families have already contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to the 2026 campaign, with most going to Republican candidates and organisations. Democrats also receive support from wealthy donors, including George and Alex Soros, Reid Hoffman and Michael Bloomberg.