Since moving to Texas nearly four years ago, Elon Musk has largely avoided getting involved in the state’s thorny political battles, saying he wants to “stay out of politics” in 2021. It was suggested that
But since then, Musk has publicly changed his mind and endorsed former President Donald J. Trump.
And he’s also done it within his home state, albeit more quietly, by venturing into local races in Texas, where his significant contributions could make an even bigger difference. .
In September, Mr. Musk donated $1 million to a litigation reform organization, one of the major powers in Austin, Texas. The organization is dedicated to curbing tort litigation and the high costs that are often imposed on businesses. Less than two weeks later, he wrote a larger check for $2 million to a political action committee affiliated with the Austin-based group.
Its $2 million contribution to Judicial Fairness PAC, which claims Texas cities are under a crime wave, helped fund an aggressive campaign to elect Republican judges. I am.
Judicial Integrity PAC spent nearly $15 million last month, including more than $6.9 million in ads and direct mail in support of another political action committee, Stop Houston Murder, according to the state filing period that ended Saturday. was spent.
One of the emails sent by Stop Houston Murder said, “No matter who you support for president, vote for the Democratic judge who is soft on crime.”
Judicial Fairness PAC is also funding a similar mailing in Dallas and supporting appellate court candidates in the Rio Grande Valley. The effort has support from several of Texas’ top Republican donors.
It’s unclear why Musk decided to help. Musk’s company is based in several Texas cities, including Austin, Bastrop and Brownsville, but not Houston or Dallas. Among the races targeted by the commission are several seats on the South Texas Court of Appeals, which covers Cameron County, where SpaceX is located.
Neither he nor a spokesperson for Texans for Litigation Reform responded to requests for comment about the donations.
But since moving to Texas from California, Musk has become surrounded by a more conservative social circle, including tech entrepreneurs who are active in Texas politics.
And he struck up a friendship with Dick Weakley, a wealthy Houston-based home builder who co-founded Texans for Litigation Reform in the 1990s.
“If he’s interested in establishing a conservative state legislature and judiciary, donating to TLR certainly makes sense,” said Mark McCaig, a Houston-based conservative activist. Ta. “Elon is definitely someone I want on my team.”
Mr. Weekley and two top political aides, Ryan Dumais and Dennis Calabrese, were among the early members who helped Mr. Musk plan America PAC, a pro-Trump super PAC, and are members of Musk’s group, who hold weekly meetings on Fridays. I met with him for up to three days. time.
Now, Mr. Musk appears to have thrown himself into the middle of a protracted battle between factions of the Texas Republican Party by funneling millions of dollars to the Texas Civil Litigation Reform Movement and the causes it supports.
The two main factions are the traditional coalition of business-focused conservatives, including Weakley, and the more religiously conservative Trump supporters who dominate the state. The conflict between the two parties was most pronounced last year over the impeachment trial of state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who had strong support from conservative allies of President Trump. Impeachment failed in the Senate.
Both sides are eager to support Mr. Musk. People in Mr. Paxton’s circle said earlier this year that Mr. Musk had brought in a new political operative to take the helm of America’s PAC, and that Mr. Weekley and his aides were no longer working at Texans for Litigation Reform. welcomed the news. with him.
Musk has been posting frequently on social media lately about crime and immigration, two issues that Texas Republicans from all walks of life are pushing for.
One of his first political forays into the state came earlier this year, when Mr. Musk contributed to a group that unsuccessfully tried to oust the Democratic district attorney in Travis County, which includes Austin.
In Houston, Republicans have been trying for several cycles to retake judicial seats they lost in the 2018 Democratic wave in Houston.
Judicial Integrity PAC has campaigned for Stop Houston Murder since it first became active during the 2022 election after homicides in the city reached record levels in 2021. We have supported you.
However, the number has since declined, following national trends in most major cities. So far this year, homicides in Houston are lower than during the same period in 2020, when crime began to spike during the coronavirus pandemic.
