Democratic fundraisers and Elon Musk drive record midterm donations
NPR · Published on October 19, 2026
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The 2026 midterms are on track to be the most expensive on record. According to the latest campaign finance filings, Democratic candidates and trillionaire Elon Musk dominated the last fundraising period. Musk added more than a quarter billion dollars in new contributions to Republican politics, including more than $150 million to a super PAC aimed at the Texas Senate race. Meanwhile, Democratic Senate nominees vastly outraised their opponents in four out of every five cases. If you just look at the 13 races the Cook Political Report rates as competitive, Republican’s are being outraised by at least a 5-to-1 margin. Find “NPR News Now” wherever you listen to podcasts. Host: Korva Coleman/NPR Reporter: Stephen Fowler/NPR Producer: Michael Zamora/NPR