Will Trump's $350M War Chest Save Texas From Democrats?
President Donald Trump's political action committee holds a massive $356 million war chest, but Republicans are growing anxious about whether he will spend any of it to defend a Senate seat in Texas that his own endorsement put in play.
Trump's last-minute endorsement helped Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton oust four-term Senator John Cornyn in a primary runoff last month. Now, Paxton faces a well-funded Democrat in state Representative James Talarico. The race has shifted from likely Republican to lean Republican, and the outcome could determine whether Republicans keep their narrow Senate majority, with potential ripple effects for battleground states like Iowa.
Why is the Texas Senate Race Suddenly Competitive?
Paxton's primary victory came at a cost. The Republican establishment spent tens of millions backing Cornyn, who was widely seen as the safer candidate to hold the seat. The Senate Republicans' campaign arm warned in an internal memo last August that a Paxton nomination would put Texas in play for Democrats and force the party to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from other key races.
That warning appears prescient. Talarico's campaign reported raising $40 million through March, with $9.9 million on hand. Paxton raised just $7.6 million through May 6 and reported having only $2.3 million in the bank. A June 9 Texas Pulse poll shows a tied race.
There is no doubt that Ken Paxton needs outside money to help him win this race.
That assessment came from one Texas political operative who spoke about the financial reality facing the GOP nominee.
What is Trump's Super PAC Doing With $356 Million?
Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., has not yet committed any money to help Paxton. The group spent nearly $377 million to elect Trump in 2024 and $1.7 million this cycle on Republican candidates in special congressional elections in Tennessee and Georgia.
Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser at MAGA Inc., told Politico the super PAC is raising money to spend on campaigns but does not disclose when or where it will spend. He described Texas, however, as an open Republican seat