Talarico accuses Musk of trying to buy Texas Senate seat for Paxton

AUSTIN: Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has accused Elon Musk of trying to buy a Senate seat for Republican Ken Paxton, the state's attorney general.

"Elon Musk is trying to buy this Senate seat in Texas," Mr Talarico said. "We just found out that the richest man in the world is almost single-handedly bankrolling this effort to install Ken Paxton in the US Senate and stop this movement that we're building in Texas."

He said voters had felt the effect of the spending. "In all likelihood, if you've seen an attack ad on your TV, that was Elon. If you've gotten lies in your mailbox, that was Elon. If you've received a text message saying scary things about me with scary black and white photos, that was Elon too."

Mr Talarico said Mr Musk wanted Texas land, water and tax dollars, and "his very own personal United States Senator". He added that voters would send a message on 3 November. "Texas is not for sale," he said, calling Mr Musk the world's first trillionaire.

Federal Election Commission filings show Mr Musk gave $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in September. According to AdImpact, the group sent the same amounts to Texas PAC. The PAC has spent more than $150 million on advertisements backing Mr Paxton and attacking Mr Talarico.

Mr Paxton has not commented publicly on Mr Musk's support.

AdImpact data showed that, as of early October, Republicans had outspent Democrats in the race on advertising by $326 million to $116 million.

Mr Talarico also questioned Mr Paxton's finances. He claimed that Mr Paxton and his trusts own at least 15 properties worth about $9 million, despite his salary of $153,000 as attorney general.

Mr Paxton has denied wrongdoing in past cases. He was acquitted in a 2023 impeachment trial. A securities fraud case against him was dismissed in 2025 after he completed a pretrial diversion programme.

A University of Houston poll conducted from 10 to 14 October gave Mr Talarico a lead of 48 per cent to 46 per cent over Mr Paxton among likely voters. Democrats have not won a US Senate race in Texas since 1988.