Elon Musk’s decision to pour $10 million into the race to replace Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell is the clearest sign yet that he’s planning a return to the campaign arena for the midterms — and ready to spend big on candidates aligned with President Trump.
It is helping to set the stage for an election cycle fueled by big personalities, big stakes and even bigger checks.
For Mr. Trump’s political machine, already flush with cash, Mr. Musk’s return as a megadonor is a shot of adrenaline. They’re gearing up for an all‑out spending blitz to protect the GOP’s grip on Congress and send more Trump‑loyal lawmakers to Washington.
“Republicans are going to be excited to have Musk’s financial support,” said Alex Conant, a GOP strategist, who said having more resources is always a good thing.
Democrats aren’t complaining either. They see Mr. Musk as the embodiment of their message that the Trump era is benefiting billionaires while squeezing financially strapped Americans.
“Elon Musk’s endorsement and accepting his money is the kiss of death,” Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, told The Washington Times. “We’ve seen that when Elon Musk is involved, Democrats do pretty well.”
Whoever’s right about the outcome, the ride is likely to be exciting.
Mr. Musk was the single biggest financial player in the 2024 elections, dropping nearly $300 million to boost Mr. Trump and Republicans in their successful effort to control the White House and Congress.
He opened his checkbook again last year, dumping $25 million on a state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin. He pledged to give $100 to any Wisconsin voter who signed a petition against “activist judges.”
Democrats made his involvement a major campaign issue, along with his high-profile work on Mr. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. Their argument apparently resonated as Mr. Musk’s candidate lost, cementing a liberal majority on the court.
Even Republicans who appreciated his financial firepower admitted that his heavy‑handed involvement fed the narrative that he was trying to buy the election for Trump and the GOP.
Mr. Musk then stepped back from politics — and Mr. Trump — to try to focus on his business empire.
How much he’ll spend this time around is unclear, though political oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag have set the early over/under line at $249.5 million.
Mr. Musk’s latest donation — routed from his America PAC to a pro–Nate Morris super PAC in Kentucky — is the first time he has given money to a candidate’s super PAC.
Mr Morris announced his bid on Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast and is running as a “Trump America First conservative.”
He has echoed the president’s criticism of Mr. McConnell, who is not seeking re-election after decades representing the state, and cast his rivals, Rep. Andy Barr and former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, as McConnell “puppets.”
Mr. Trump, for his part, sounds delighted to have Mr. Musk back in the fold.
“Elon’s great,” Mr. Trump recently told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I say about Elon, he is 80% super genius and 20% he makes mistakes, but he is a good guy. He is a well-meaning person.”
Mr. Trump’s own super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc., started the year with nearly $300 million after raising more than $100 million in just three months.
Mr. Musk’s path to Mr. Trump has been winding.
He backed Presidents Obama and Biden before embracing Mr. Trump in the 2024 contest. Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk forged a monumental partnership, with Mr. Musk becoming a special government employee to head DOGE, but had a falling out last spring.
Mr. Musk even denounced Mr. Trump, questioned his involvement with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, mocked his One Big Beautiful Bill budget law as a debt bomb and flirted with forming his own America Party.
Now, he appears to be drawn back into the Trump orbit.
Polls have shown Mr. Musk’s image has taken a tumble, with his approval rating tanking among Democrats and independents. Republicans still view him positively, though at a lower level than before his spat with Mr. Trump.
Mr. Conant said he doubted Democrats’ attempts to highlight Mr. Musk will move the needle.
“Midterm elections are usually a referendum on the president, and Musk’s relationship with the White House is complicated,” he said.
