The tech billionaire set spending record as he poured $446m into campaigns for failed Republican candidates

Elon Musk set a record for election spending this year after pouring nearly half a billion dollars into backing Republicans in the US midterm elections. It turned out to be a poor investment.

The SpaceX and Tesla CEO contributed at least $446m to Republican-aligned Super Pacs and groups over the course of the elections, specifically targeting several key Senate races in an effort to help the Trump administration retain Republican control of Congress. He outdid his own 2024 spending of nearly $290m. Yet as Democrats swept to power across the country on Tuesday night, it became clear that Musk would get nearly nothing in return for his hundreds of millions in spending.

Democrats won every one of the five Senate races where Musk’s America Pac spent the most money backing Republican candidates. In Texas, where Musk’s empire is based and where he directed most of his political efforts, Republicans lost the Senate race, governor’s office and are expected to relinquish control of the state house.