New filing says much of Trump’s midterm election spending still missing while GOP races favor Democrats
President Donald Trump pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to support Republicans in the 2026 midterms. However, a recent federal filing indicates that most of these funds have yet to materialize.
Trump’s main super PAC, MAGA Inc., reported only a small portion of the spending it announced weeks earlier. Fundraising figures also suggest a more challenging outlook for Republicans than anticipated this fall.
More details about the filing
Under federal election rules, super PACs had to report any independent spending over $10,000 within 48 hours. By late September, MAGA Inc. had reported around $15 million spent on the closely watched Texas Senate race.
This amount represents only a small fraction of the four- to five-hundred-million-dollar commitment Trump described just weeks earlier.
Most significant spending did not originate from MAGA Inc. Instead, two newer committees, No Going Back PAC Inc. and Safety & Affordability PAC Inc., reserved over $126 million in advertising since their formation on September 1.
Records indicate that No Going Back PAC shares the same treasurer, address and phone number as MAGA Inc., directly linking the new group to Trump’s operation.
Trump called it his own money
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that his super PAC held nearly a billion dollars and that he planned to allocate four or five hundred million of it toward the midterms. He said, “going to spend a lot of money because we don’t want to lose our country.”
Several GOP members have requested these funds. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said on Fox News, “We in the senate don’t have the money budgeted for Texas. We need help from the president.”
John Thune echoed these remarks on the same network, stating, “I think all of our allies out there, including the president and his team and their resources, need to be brought to bear on Texas because it’s not one that we can lose if we are going to hang on to Republican majority, we flat have to win there.”
Democrats had the cash advantage all summer
Republicans lagged in fundraising before this spending began. As of July, Democratic Senate candidates in seven battleground states held approximately $75 million combined, nearly double the $38 million held by their Republican counterparts.
The gap was largest in Texas, where Democrat James Talarico held $21.5 million, compared to Republican Ken Paxton‘s $1.8 million.
Once outside funding increased, the overall advertising landscape shifted. Republican-aligned groups booked over $557 million in advertising across the nine most competitive Senate races, compared to $343 million from Democrats.
Republicans outspent Democrats in nearly all of these races.
Democrats have seen more popularity
Beyond financial considerations, the broader political climate looked rough for Republicans. Special elections throughout the year provided a meaningful test, with Democrats consistently surpassing their 2024 performance, sometimes by wide margins.
Several strategists have predicted a clear Democratic wave after the midterms, citing issues that could challenge Republicans. Progressive candidates have gained popularity in recent months, particularly among younger and independent voters.