Controversial tech magnate Elon Musk stepped up his political giving in August, giving his largest-known political donation ever to spice up Home Republicans’ efforts to protect their weak majority.
The Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee reported receiving $289,100 from Musk in August, in accordance with its report filed with the Federal Election Fee Friday. The cash got here via a joint fundraising committee linked to Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), the submitting indicated, and most of it was earmarked for the NRCC’s conference and headquarters accounts, as is typical for donations of that quantity.
Musk — the richest particular person on the planet, with an estimated web price of over $250 billion — has given to each Democrats and Republicans prior to now, however not in such important quantities.
Musk has amped up his political involvement in latest months. He has solid a relationship with former President Donald Trump, whom he’s aiding by bankrolling America PAC, a pro-Trump exterior group. The group, which has undergone a management shuffle in latest months, is predicted to play a serious function in serving to to prove voters for the previous president and lately started spending in aggressive Home races throughout the nation as properly.
It’s possible that Musk has given extra to America PAC than the NRCC. The tremendous PAC, which might settle for limitless quantities from particular person donors, is because of disclose its monetary exercise for the third quarter of this 12 months on Oct. 15, which can give a clearer image of how a lot Musk has given to the group.
And in one other indication of his stepped-up political involvement, Musk has employed a political gatekeeper, longtime Republican operative Chris Younger. Younger’s hiring was first reported by The New York Times.
How a lot cash Musk finally ends up investing within the election stays an open query. In July, the Wall Avenue Journal reported that he deliberate to donate round $45 million a month to assist Trump. Musk, nonetheless, later denied the report.
Regardless of the inflow of money from Musk, the NRCC raised simply $9.7 million in August, in comparison with $22.2 million raised by its Democratic counterpart.
