President Donald Trump has made a significant financial contribution to Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, delivering $10 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC. This marks Trump’s first major campaign contribution of the midterm elections. Paxton, currently serving as Texas Attorney General, is facing a competitive race against Democrat James Talarico.
The donation comprises $5 million for negative advertising against Talarico and another $5 million for positive advertising in favor of Paxton. Both funds will be directed to Del Ray Media Inc., a political media agency responsible for television and digital ads. This information is based on a filing with the Federal Election Commission submitted on Saturday.
Trump’s MAGA Inc. committee holds $400 million but had not previously made any significant donations this election cycle. Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit linked to Trump’s super PAC, has released an ad to broadcast nationwide. However, this ad focuses on Trump himself rather than local congressional candidates, raising concerns about the focus of campaign spending.
“I’ve raised a lot, and nobody knows what it is, but I will tell you it’s about $850 million,” Trump stated before departing on Air Force One to South Carolina. “I’ll be spending a lot of that money for — and my money — but I’ll be spending a lot of that money for candidates that I think are good, Republican candidates.”
The only previous donation by MAGA Inc. during this cycle was $827,000 to Senator Darline Graham’s campaign in South Carolina. Prior to this, the super PAC had spent just $18,000 on a midterm race in 2026. In 2025, MAGA Inc. spent approximately $1.7 million. By the end of the second quarter of this year, they had raised $401 million.
Senator Darline Graham is seeking a full term after assuming the Senate seat vacated by her late brother, Lindsey Graham, who passed away in July. Trump encouraged voters at a rally for Graham, urging them to “pretend” he is on the ballot for the upcoming elections.
Ken Paxton has been under regular scrutiny during his tenure, although he remains popular among Republican voters. A poll conducted in August by The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin showed Paxton with a 61% approval rating among Republicans.
Paxton survived an impeachment trial in 2023 related to allegations of bribery, dereliction of duty, and misconduct. During the trial, it was revealed that Paxton had an affair, leading to divorce proceedings initiated by his wife, a state senator.
Talarico poses a significant challenge to Paxton, with both candidates showing similar support in most polls. Despite Texas not having elected a Democratic senator in 33 years, Talarico remains a competitive contender. Trump has intensified his criticism of Talarico in recent weeks, even bestowing him with a new nickname. Trump referred to him as “Tala-freako,” criticizing him as one of the worst candidates.
In response, Talarico has embraced the nickname, selling T-shirts adorned with it, turning criticism into a form of campaign promotion.