MAGA Inc., the super PAC explicitly tied to Donald Trump, announced a $10 million advertising blitz supporting Ken Paxton's Senate campaign, with the disclosure filed with the Federal Election Commission revealing how Trump-aligned money flows into competitive races.
Paxton, Texas's attorney general and Trump's chosen Senate nominee, faces Democrat James Talarico in what public polling suggests remains competitive. The $10 million commitment represents MAGA Inc.'s opening move in what the group considers a key race.
Trump's endorsement proved decisive in Paxton's primary victory over incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Now, with general election money flowing in coordinated fashion, the apparatus that built Paxton's primary win has shifted into general election mode.
MAGA Inc. operates as an independent expenditure committee, legally separate from candidate committees yet functionally aligned with Trump's political preferences. Trump told reporters this week that the super PAC's $400 million in reserves constituted "my money," adding he would spend "whatever amount of money necessary" to achieve political objectives.
Paxton's campaign has raised $16.8 million according to available filings. Talarico has constructed a fundraising operation that pulled in $72 million, weighted heavily toward small-dollar donations rather than institutional sources.
MAGA Inc.'s advertising strategy, as described in the FEC filing, targets taxes and rural hospital funding. The ads promote Paxton's support for doubling the child tax credit, creating tax deductions for medical expenses, and establishing a $50,000 homebuyer deduction for first-time purchasers.
Talarico's campaign responded by focusing on the funding source. "Billionaire-backed dark money groups are lying about James Talarico because they're scared of the people-powered movement we're building to fix this broken, corrupt political system," the campaign said. Talarico, who has campaigned on higher taxes for wealthy Texans, also has called out what he describes as billionaire influence at Republican Party events.
Trump's comment about the super PAC funds being "his money" suggests a level of personal identification with super PAC decision-making that conflicts with the legal independence these entities are supposed to maintain.
The super PAC's entry into the Texas race signals Trump's strategic priorities heading into the general election cycle. Paxton's Senate seat represents a competitive race in a state Republicans consider reliably conservative, yet poll numbers indicate genuine competition.
