Musk contributed more than $150 million to bolster GOP in Texas Senate race, filings show

CNN · CBS News and CBS News report that Elon Musk has returned to major political giving, sending $158 million in September to the main Senate Republican super PAC, money that quickly landed with a group backing Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton. Federal Election Commission filings show the Senate Leadership Fund received $75 million on September 9 and $83 million on September 23, and passed each sum to Texas PAC the following day.

CBS News adds that the two gifts made up over half of the fund's third-quarter receipts, and that Musk also gave more than $80 million to his own America PAC from July through September. CNN · CBS News reports that Texas PAC spent more than $77 million on ads in September and is set to reach nearly $160 million for Paxton.

The contest against Democrat James Talarico is close. CBS News says recent polls give Talarico a lead within the margin of error, while CNN · CBS News says two new polls show no clear leader. Talarico's campaign says its $64 million third-quarter haul is a record.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN · CBS News and CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN · CBS News → Also at CBS News →