Trump Super PAC Network Adds New $25 Million Multi-State Ad Buy For Midterms
No Going Back PAC Inc., a newly incorporated group tied to President Trump's main super PAC, reserved about $25.8 million in ad time for multiple Senate and House battlegrounds on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.[1]
The reservations include roughly $9.6 million for the New Hampshire Senate race and $7.7 million for Alaska, with smaller buys aimed at Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia and a House contest in Pennsylvania.[1] No Going Back PAC Inc. was incorporated on September 1, 2026, its formation handled by GOP operative Charles Gantt, and it will not have to disclose donors until mid-October.[1] Two people familiar with the plans told the New York Times the group is linked to MAGA Inc., making it the largest midterm expenditure yet tied to Trump's roughly $400 million war chest.[1]
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, an FEC filing showed MAGA Inc. directing $10 million to support Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.[2] That $10 million was split into two $5 million buys routed through Del Ray Media Inc.: one attacking Democrat James Talarico and one promoting Paxton on television and digital platforms.[2] The Texas spots emphasized taxes, portraying Talarico as favoring higher taxes and saying Paxton would back tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and families.[3]
Initial coverage framed the Texas buy as MAGA Inc.'s first major general-election spending this cycle.[3] The New York Times' September 9 report expanded that picture by identifying a separate, opaque PAC linked to MAGA Inc. that placed a much larger, multi-state ad reservation and will delay donor disclosure until mid-October.[1]
The new reservations and the link to MAGA Inc. have intensified transparency concerns among Democrats and outside watchdogs, who warned the spending could reshape late advertising in multiple close races.[1] President Trump has said he will "spend whatever amount of money necessary" and described MAGA Inc.'s funds as "my money," remarks reported after the Texas buy.[3]
The mainstream summary does not address the implications of MAGA Inc.'s $10 million ad buy in Texas, which some analysts interpret as a signal of urgency and concern among Republican operatives regarding the race's competitiveness. Adam Wren and colleagues from Politico argue that such a significant expenditure indicates a perception of peril for the GOP in Texas, suggesting that the party may be facing unexpected challenges despite earlier expectations. This framing contrasts with the mainstream account, which presents the ad buy as a straightforward campaign strategy without delving into the underlying anxieties reflected by the funding levels.
Moreover, while the summary mentions the ad buy's focus on taxes and branding tactics, it overlooks the potential political risks associated with nationalized spending in local races. The Politico analysis emphasizes that heavy involvement from MAGA Inc. could mobilize opposition and that ad buys alone are insufficient for electoral success, highlighting the importance of on-the-ground dynamics such as candidate fundraising capabilities. This critical perspective adds depth to the understanding of how external funding might interact with local sentiments and electoral outcomes, a nuance absent from the mainstream coverage.
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Saturday, September 5, 2026, an FEC filing showed President Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC is directing $10 million to support Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
- The $10 million is being placed as two $5 million buys routed through Del Ray Media Inc. — one for negative ads against Democrat James Talarico and one for positive ads promoting Ken Paxton on television and digital platforms.
- The expenditures are for television and digital ads in the Texas Senate race and mark MAGA Inc.'s first significant general‑election spending in a premier 2026 contest, while the super PAC holds roughly $400 million in cash.
- The ads emphasize James Talarico as favoring higher taxes and portray Ken Paxton as supporting tax breaks for first‑time homebuyers and families with children.
- President Trump said he would "spend whatever amount of money necessary" to help Republicans and described MAGA Inc.'s roughly $400 million as "my money," adding he could hold some funds until 2028, comments reported on September 5, 2026 by PBS News.
- On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, a newly incorporated group called No Going Back PAC Inc. placed about $25.8 million in ad reservations across six Senate races and one House battleground, including roughly $9.6 million for New Hampshire and $7.7 million for Alaska.
- The New York Times reported that two people familiar with the plans tied No Going Back PAC Inc. to MAGA Inc., noted the PAC was incorporated on September 1, 2026, was set up by GOP operative Charles Gantt, and will not have to disclose donors until mid‑October.
- Talarico's campaign pushed back, calling MAGA Inc. a "billionaire‑backed dark money" group and saying Talarico supported the largest property tax cut in Texas history and has consistently voted to cut taxes for working Texans.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"The Playbook commentary reads the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc.'s $10 million Texas ad buy (supporting Ken Paxton) as a warning signal — the author argues the national intervention reveals "bad vibes" for Republicans in Texas, that the spending nationalizes the race and risks backfiring, and that dollars alone won't overcome on-the-ground fundamentals."
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, a newly incorporated group called No Going Back PAC Inc. placed about $25.8 million in ad reservations to support Republicans in six Senate races and one House battleground.
- Two people familiar with the plans told the New York Times that No Going Back PAC Inc. is linked to President Trump's main super PAC, MAGA Inc., making this the largest midterm expenditure yet tied to Trump's $400 million war chest.
- The reservations include roughly $9.6 million for the New Hampshire Senate race and $7.7 million for the Alaska Senate race, with smaller amounts for Senate contests in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina and Georgia and for Representative Scott Perry's House race in Pennsylvania.
- No Going Back PAC Inc. was incorporated on September 1, 2026, a timing that means it will not have to disclose its donors or founders until mid-October, and its incorporation paperwork was handled by GOP operative Charles Gantt, who also works with MAGA Inc.
- The new PAC’s website describes it only as making independent expenditures for candidates who share its founders' and funders' values, and MAGA Inc. did not respond to the Times’ request for comment on the relationship.
- The Associated Press/PBS piece confirms via a Saturday, September 5, 2026 FEC filing that the $10 million MAGA Inc. expenditure is for television and digital ads in the Texas Senate race.
- The article emphasizes this is MAGA Inc.'s first significant general-election spending in a premier 2026 contest, underscoring the race's perceived competitiveness.
- New political context notes that public disapproval of President Trump over the economy and the Iran war has been a headwind for many Republican candidates.
- The story details the issue focus of the ad campaign, saying the spots highlight taxes and portray James Talarico as broadly favoring higher taxes while claiming Ken Paxton would back tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and families with children.
- Trump is quoted on Friday saying, "I'm going to spend whatever amount of money necessary to try and help us," and stressing that MAGA Inc.'s roughly $400 million is "my money" and "separate" from Republican National Committee funds.
- Trump is also quoted saying he could hold some of the funds until the 2028 elections "if that's what I want," even though he is constitutionally barred from running for a third presidential term.
- Spokesman Alex Pfeiffer of MAGA Inc. is quoted branding Talarico "High Tax Talarico" and vowing to inform Texans about what he calls Talarico's "radical policies" and to elect Ken Paxton.
- Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis is quoted pushing back, calling MAGA Inc. a "billionaire-backed dark money" group and saying Talarico supported the largest property tax cut in Texas history and has consistently voted to cut taxes for working Texans.
- The article notes that the key tax legislation signed by Trump last year both extended many of his 2017 tax breaks and increased budget deficits, contributing to higher interest costs on the national debt, while Trump has also increased tariffs to raise revenue.
- On Saturday, September 5, 2026, MAGA Inc. disclosed in an FEC filing that it is spending $5 million on ads supporting Ken Paxton and $5 million on ads opposing Democrat James Talarico in the Texas U.S. Senate race.
- The article frames the $10 million buy as potentially just the start of further Trump-world spending in Texas during the final two months before Election Day on November 3, 2026.
- Through the end of June 2026, James Talarico’s campaign had nearly a $20 million cash-on-hand advantage over Paxton’s main political operation in the Senate contest.
- Senate GOP leader John Thune said on Fox News earlier in the week that because Texas is an expensive state, Republicans would need Trump and his team to be financially engaged in the race.
- The piece notes that Paxton defeated incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn in a primary runoff earlier in 2026 despite Cornyn’s financial advantage and that Democrats view Paxton as a more vulnerable general-election opponent.
- On Saturday, September 5, 2026, a Federal Election Commission filing showed President Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC is directing $10 million to support Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
- The $10 million consists of two $5 million buys through Del Ray Media Inc.: one for negative ads against Democrat James Talarico and one for positive ads promoting Ken Paxton on TV and digital platforms.
- CBS reports this is President Trump's first major campaign contribution of the 2026 midterms from MAGA Inc., which has about $400 million in cash.
- The article notes that, prior to this Texas spending, MAGA Inc.'s only 2026 cycle donation was roughly $827,000 to South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham's campaign, plus about $18,000 in other midterm spending.
- The story adds polling context: an August 2026 Texas Politics Project survey found Paxton at 61% approval among Republicans, and current polling shows Paxton and Talarico running neck-and-neck despite Texas not having elected a Democratic senator in 33 years.