President Trump has made his first major midterm campaign contribution to Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton. Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC is contributing $10 million to support Paxton, who is currently the Texas attorney general. He faces a challenging race against Democrat James Talarico.
The contribution breaks down into $5 million for negative ads against Talarico and another $5 million for positive ads supporting Paxton. This information comes from a Federal Election Commission filing. Del Ray Media Inc. will handle the advertising campaign, operating both television and digital ads.
MAGA Inc., with $400 million in funds, had not previously made significant donations in this midterm cycle. A nonprofit connected to MAGA Inc., called Securing American Greatness, released a nationwide ad. However, the ad focuses on Trump instead of local candidates, raising concerns among some candidates that the spending would emphasize Trump, despite his absence from the ballot.
“I’ve raised about $850 million,” Trump stated before flying to South Carolina on August 21. “I’ll be spending much of it on Republican candidates I favor.” Previously, MAGA Inc. donated $827,000 to Sen. Darline Graham’s campaign in South Carolina. Before Graham’s campaign, the PAC had spent only $18,000 for midterm races in 2026. By the end of Q2, they raised $401 million.
Sen. Darline Graham, aiming for a full term following her brother Lindsey Graham’s passing, was the recipient of MAGA Inc.’s prior donation. “Pretend I’m on the ballot,” Trump urged at a rally for Graham, emphasizing the importance of voting.
Despite controversies, Paxton retains support among Republicans. A poll from The Texas Politics Project indicates Paxton’s approval among Republicans at 61% in August. He survived an impeachment trial in 2023 on accusations of bribery and breach of duty, though it revealed an affair and subsequent divorce filing from his state senator wife.
In a close race, Talarico faces continual criticism from Trump. Trump recently dubbed him “Tala-freako,” describing him as a poor candidate. Talarico has responded by selling T-shirts with this new moniker.
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