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How Elon Musk Frittered Away Nearly $500 Million on the Midterm Elections

Behind the scenes, the world’s richest person spent a record amount over two years to bend the country’s politics to his will. He couldn’t.

© Jason Henry for The New York Times

Elon Musk has become by far the Republican Party’s biggest megadonor, spending nearly $500 million during the 2025-26 midterm election cycle.

Gina Hinojosa’s Texas Governor Campaign Tests Limits of New Rules for Digital Political Ads

Some of the social media posts paid for by Gina Hinojosa’s campaign for Texas governor don’t include a disclosure, despite a state regulation that likely requires it.

© Christopher Lee for The New York Times

Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor of Texas.

Darline Graham Gets Help From the Data Center Industry in South Carolina Senate Race

As political fights over artificial intelligence accelerate, there is now a super PAC aligned with the data center industry. Its first bet is on Ms. Graham, a Republican in an unexpectedly tight race.

© Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Senator Darline Graham of South Carolina has been friendlier toward the data center industry than her Democratic opponent, trying to walk a line between backing the centers’ development as a national security necessity while stressing the need for community involvement.

Meta Withdraws $25 Million from Its Midterms Push

The company outlined a $65 million budget last year when it embarked on an effort to elect state politicians friendly to the A.I. industry.

© Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times

Meta’s annual conference last month in Menlo Park, Calif. The company received $22 million back from its American Technology Excellence Project and $3 million from a California advocacy group it funded.

OpenAI’s Greg Brockman Backs Out of Second $25 Million Donation to A.I. Super PAC

Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and co-founder, said internally that the super PAC, Leading the Future, had become a “distraction” for the A.I. company.

© Jason Henry for The New York Times

Greg Brockman, center, OpenAI’s president, and his wife, Anna.
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