President Trump has donated $10 million to Ken Paxton's Texas Senate campaign through his MAGA Inc. super PAC. The donation includes $5 million to run negative ads against Paxton's Democratic opponent James Talarico and $5 million to run positive ads for Paxton. This is the first major contribution from Trump in the midterms, with his committee holding a total of $400 million. Paxton faces a surprisingly tight race, polling at 61% among Republicans despite ongoing criticism of his time as Texas attorney general.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
President Trump has delivered his
of the midterms to Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
asserted
Trump → deliver → Paxton
The president is donating $10 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC to help Paxton, the current Texas attorney general, who is locked in a surprisingly tight race with Democrat James Talarico.
asserted
who → donate → Talarico
The donation includes $5 million to run negative ads against Talarico and $5 million to run positive ads for Paxton, according to a Federal Election Commission filing on Saturday.
uncertain
donation → include → Saturday
Mr. Trump's MAGA Inc. committee holds $400 million but had yet to offer a single major donation this midterm cycle.
asserted
committee → hold → donation
Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit with ties to Mr. Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., unveiled its first ad to air nationwide.
asserted
Greatness → unveil → ad
But the ad is focused on the president instead of local congressional candidates, causing some consternation among candidates that the focus of the spending would be on promoting Mr. Trump, even though he's not actually on the ballot.
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he → focus → ballot
"I've raised a lot, and nobody knows what it is, but I will tell you it's about $850 million," Mr. Trump said before boarding Air Force One to fly to South Carolina on Aug. 21.
asserted
Trump → raise → Aug.
"I'll be spending a lot of that money for — and my own money — but I'll be spending a lot of that money for candidates that I think are good, Republican candidates."
asserted
I → spend → candidates
In a statement later Saturday, Alex Pfeiffer, a MAGA Inc. spokesperson, told CBS News, "High Tax Talarico wants to take money out of Texans' pockets.
asserted
Talarico → tell → pockets
MAGA Inc. is going to ensure Texas knows about Talarico's radical policies and elects Ken Paxton to the U.S. Senate."
asserted
Texas → go → Senate
The only prior donation came in South Carolina.
asserted
donation → come → Carolina
MAGA Inc. donated $827,000 to Sen. Darline Graham's campaign.
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Inc. → donate → campaign
Until Graham's Senate bid, MAGA Inc. had spent only about $18,000 in 2026 on a midterm race.
asserted
Inc. → spend → race
The super PAC spent about $1.7 million last year, and by the end of the second quarter, it had raised $401 million.
asserted
it → spend → million
Graham is fighting to be reelected for a full term after taking the Senate seat held by her brother, Lindsey Graham,
in July.
asserted
Graham → fight → July
"Pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot," the president said Aug. 21 at a rally for Graham in South Carolina.
asserted
president → "pretend → Carolina
Paxton has faced regular criticism during his years in office, though he's still popular among Republicans.
asserted
he → face → Republicans
He was polling at a 61% approval rate among Republicans in August, according to polling by The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.
uncertain
He → poll → Austin
However, during the trial it emerged that Paxton was having an affair, and his wife, a state senator, later .Talarico
asserted
Paxton → emerge → affair
is running neck-and-neck with Paxton in most polling even though Texas hasn't had a Democratic senator in 33 years.
asserted
Texas → run → years
He's endured growing criticism from Mr. Trump in recent weeks.
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He → endure → weeks
Earlier this week, the president came up with a new nickname for the Senate candidate.
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president → come → candidate
"The name happens to be Tala-freako because he is one of the worst candidates I have ever seen," Mr. Trump said.
asserted
Trump → happen → candidates
Talarico responded by selling T-shirts with the nickname emblazoned on them.
asserted
Talarico → respond → them
