TEXAS PAC, the Republican super PAC (political action committee) that had reported $131.5m in Texas's Senate race by 30 September, received nothing in the first half of October, its report to the FEC (Federal Election Commission) for that period shows1. It began the month with $26.25m, spent $17.03m and closed the fortnight with $9.22m and no debts. The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), its only donor on earlier reports, shows no transfer to it in the period either.
The report closes on 14 October, so it does not cover the 21 October filing against James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, that Lowdown reported last week. The post-general report due on 3 December, a month after polling day, is the first that will show any money TEXAS PAC received after 14 October.
The other active Republican buyer is MAGA Inc, the super PAC aligned with Donald Trump. It filed $7.20m against Talarico on 22 October, taking its Texas Senate spending to $37.65m: $30.12m against him and $7.53m for Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee and state attorney general2. News coverage Lowdown found stops at its $10m buy, reported on 5 September3.
On the Democratic side, Texas Forever, an affiliate of Senate Majority PAC, has reported $19.40m against Paxton since 1 October, $8.52m of it from 21 to 23 October. Lower Costs Now added $8.23m against Paxton and $5.81m for Talarico, and the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) spent $0.93m with Talarico, up from $0.14m in September. October filings in the race still favour Republicans, $111.40m to $62.74m. Early voting in Texas closes on Friday 30 October.
