Trump's MAGA Inc. Drops $10M on Texas Senate Race

Trump-Aligned Group Drops $10 Million Into Texas Senate Race

The political group aligned with President Trump is putting real money behind the Texas Senate race, filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend showing $10 million in television and digital ad spending — the first major financial move MAGA, Inc. has made in a top-tier general election contest this cycle.

Why Texas, and Why Now

Texas Senate seats haven't historically needed this kind of outside intervention to stay in Republican hands, but this year is shaping up differently. State Representative James Talarico, a 37-year-old Democrat, is facing off against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the Republican nomination in a May primary runoff after ousting incumbent Sen. John Cornyn — a result widely credited to Trump's endorsement.

With Trump facing public disapproval tied to the economy and the ongoing situation in Iran, and midterm elections historically breaking against the party holding the White House, Texas has become something of a bellwether for just how far the political map might shift this year.

The Ads and the Argument Over Taxes

The two new ads center on taxes, an issue that's resonating given continued concerns among voters about inflation. The ads characterize Talarico as favoring broad tax increases and present Paxton as the candidate offering tax relief to first-time homebuyers and families with children.

MAGA, Inc. spokesman Alex Pfeiffer framed the spending as a direct response to Talarico's record, saying in a statement that the group intends to make sure Texans "know about Talarico's radical policies" ahead of the vote for Paxton.

Talarico's campaign disputed the characterization. Spokesperson JT Ennis pushed back on the claim that Talarico supports across-the-board tax hikes, saying in a statement that Talarico backed what he described as the largest property tax cut in Texas history and has "consistently voted to cut taxes for working Texans." Ennis also characterized the ad spending as coming from what he called "billionaire-backed dark money groups."

Trump's War Chest

The spending comes after weeks of Republican candidates in competitive races pushing for Trump to start deploying his campaign funds — MAGA, Inc. reportedly has at least $400 million on hand. Speaking with reporters Friday, Trump said he intends to spend "whatever amount of money necessary" to help Republican candidates, while stressing that the money is his to direct as he sees fit, separate from funds controlled by the Republican National Committee.

Trump also suggested he could choose to hold back some of the money for the 2028 election cycle, despite being constitutionally barred from seeking a third presidential term himself.

On Paxton specifically, Trump has been candid about the candidate's mixed profile, telling attendees at a White House event this past week that Paxton isn't the most telegenic candidate but calling him, in Trump's own estimation, perhaps "the best attorney general in the country."

James Blair, who oversees Trump's midterm political operation, said earlier in the week that Republicans anxious about the pace of spending would ultimately be satisfied once the full picture became clear.

What It Means Going Forward

Whether $10 million is enough to keep the seat solidly Republican — or a sign of just how competitive Texas has become — is likely to become clearer as more outside spending decisions roll in over the coming months. For now, it stands as the clearest signal yet that both the Trump political operation and Texas Democrats see this race as one worth fighting for.