Musk’s super PAC plans major spending push in Maine Senate race

PORTLAND, Maine —

Tech billionaire Elon Musk is reportedly preparing to include Maine in a major political spending effort aimed at helping Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate in November.

Musk has authorized his aligned super PAC, America PAC, to spend between $100 million and $120 million on a new voter turnout program in several states, according to reporting from The New York Times. A source familiar with the plans confirmed the broader midterm investment to ABC News.

The total covers a multistate effort, and it is not yet clear how much America PAC intends to spend in Maine.

The group plans to focus on door-knocking, digital advertising and direct mail targeting Republican-leaning voters. Its efforts will include voters who support Republican candidates but typically do not participate in midterm elections, the source told ABC News.

Maine, Alaska, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio are among the Senate battlegrounds initially targeted by the group, according to the Times. America PAC has also discussed potential spending in North Carolina and Texas and is expected to coordinate with other Republican organizations.

Spending adds to Collins’ financial advantage in Maine

The investment could add to an already significant financial advantage for Republican Sen. Susan Collins as she seeks a sixth term against Democratic nominee Troy Jackson.

Maine’s Total Coverage previously reported that Collins ended June with more than $11 million in campaign cash. Jackson’s campaign said it raised more than $3 million since he entered the Senate contest in July.

The Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, has separately committed more than $42 million to the Maine race.

Jackson, a former Maine Senate president and fifth-generation logger from Allagash, has sought to contrast his campaign’s grassroots fundraising with the outside money supporting Collins.

“This election is not going to be decided by corporate PACs, Big Pharma, insurance companies, or the billionaires funding Susan Collins,” Jackson said after securing the Democratic nomination.

Jackson was selected by Democratic delegates at a special convention on July 25. He replaced June primary winner Graham Platner, who withdrew from the race earlier in July following a sexual assault allegation that he denied.

In a statement sent to Maine’s Total Coverage, the Maine Democratic Party said that “Mainers deserve a Senator who answers to them, not the richest people in the country.”

“Elon Musk is just the latest out-of-state, right-wing billionaire donor to pour money into Susan Collins’ campaign,” said Misha Linnehan, spokesperson for the Maine Democratic Party. “MAGA billionaires want to keep Collins in the Senate because she is a reliable vote to cut taxes for the wealthy and pay for it by slashing health care and other essential services that Mainers rely on.”

Why Maine is drawing national attention

The Collins-Jackson contest is considered crucial to Democrats’ effort to regain control of the Senate.

Republicans hold 53 Senate seats. Democrats hold 45, while two independent senators, including Maine’s Senator Angus King, caucus with them. That means Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a majority, making Maine a central part of their narrow path.

Democrats view Maine as one of their best opportunities to flip a Republican-held seat because President Donald Trump narrowly lost the state in 2024. Collins, however, has repeatedly survived nationally targeted challenges during her nearly three decades in the Senate.

Musk’s investment will add to a substantial national Republican war chest. Recent financial disclosures cited by ABC News show the Republican National Committee with nearly $130 million available and Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. with about $400 million.

America PAC previously spent more than $260 million helping Trump and other Republicans during the 2024 election, according to Axios.

ABC News contributed to this report.