Musk's $158 million gift lifted GOP Senate PAC to $273 million quarter
Why it matters: The cash gives Republicans a major edge as they defend a 53-seat Senate majority weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms.
The Senate Leadership Fund, the main Republican super PAC for Senate races, raised a record $272.9 million from July through September, powered by $158 million from Elon Musk, according to a Federal Election Commission filing. The group entered the final stretch before the Nov. 3 midterm election with more than $155 million in cash. Musk routed the money in September through an affiliated Texas PAC created to back Republican Ken Paxton, with two donations of $75 million and $83 million. CNBC reported Musk's total exceeded the Democratic Senate Majority PAC's full third-quarter fundraising of $151 million. Republicans are redirecting spending toward competitive races in Kansas, Nebraska and Texas.