Musk's Cash Floods GOP Races as Democrats Hold Edge in Final Midterm Sprint

With just two weeks until Election Day, control of Congress is up for grabs and the campaign has entered its most volatile stretch. Democrats are outraising Republicans in key races, but Elon Musk is pouring money into Republican campaigns — including the re-election bid of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — while other groups linked to Donald Trump are also spending heavily, setting up a clear money fight ahead of the vote [265366]. The Texas Senate race between Paxton and Democrat James Talarico has already drawn more than $500 million in advertising, according to data from AdImpact, making it one of the most expensive contests in the country, and a new CBS News poll shows the race in a dead heat as early voting begins [261772][265326]. With 16 days to go, fresh Texas polling is drawing national attention [265328].

The stakes were on display in a series of fiery Senate debates. In Minnesota, the two major-party candidates clashed for an hour on MPR News over fraud, affordability and the fallout from Trump administration policies [265116]. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson accused five-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins of corruption in their fourth and final face-off, while Collins portrayed Jackson as inexperienced and tied him to a former Democratic nominee who dropped out amid rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denies [264267]. In Georgia, record numbers of voters cast early ballots as a bitter Senate debate between Jon Ossoff and Mike Collins erupted over personal attacks, with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger praising the high turnout [262599]. In New York, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler and Democrat Cait Conley traded sharp attacks over ICE enforcement, sanctuary cities and bail reform in a swing district race that will help decide which party controls the House [262610].

The money and the debates are unfolding against a backdrop of pressure on the election system itself. President Trump is using his power to intimidate the people who run U.S. elections, Republican election officials say, warning that the pressure is putting the voting system under remarkable stress with the midterms just two weeks away [265330]. Several Senate races — in Texas, Maine and Michigan — will decide the outcome, with polls shifting and campaign spending rising, making the results hard to predict as both parties also prepare for the 2028 presidential race [260300]. As the 3 November election approaches, both parties are fighting for control of Congress, and the heated debates have revealed clear themes in the campaign [264980].