Bernie Sanders Targets Elon Musk, Republican Megadonors Over $1.6 Billion in 2026 Election Spending: ‘Trying To Buy...’
Mohd Haider 12 hours ago
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Bernie Sanders criticizes Republican megadonors for spending $1.6 billion to influence the 2026 midterm elections.
On Saturday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Republican megadonors have spent more than $1.6 billion "trying to buy the 2026 elections."
In a post on X, he said billionaires want Congress to work for them, not working families.
In his post, he urged supporters to organize ahead of Tuesday’s midterms.
Republican mega donors have spent over $1.6 BILLION trying to buy the 2026 elections.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 31, 2026
Elon Musk and other billionaires want to make sure that Trump and his Republican Congress works for them — not working families.
In three days, we can beat them.
Organize. Organize. Organize.
Sanders Targets the Billionaire Class
The move is part of his broader effort to reform campaign finance. Sanders and Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) introduced the Abolish Super PACs Act, which would limit individual donations to super PACs to $5,000. Sanders has argued that wealthy donors and oligarchs have too much influence over elections and can effectively buy political candidates.
Musk Is the Most Notable Target
Sanders’ sharpest attacks focus on Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, the most notable billionaire supporter of Republicans in recent times. Musk has contributed more than $445 million to Republican-aligned political groups during the 2026 election cycle.
Earlier, Sanders also stated Musk had become $696 billion richer since Trump’s election.
He has targeted Musk’s Texas plans before. In August, Sanders criticized the Tesla and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) CEO’s plan to spend up to $200 million on a Texas Senate seat, calling it "oligarchy." He urged an end to Citizens United and a ban on super PACs.
US Political Party Funding
| Category | Democrats | Republicans |
|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | $666.29 million | $702.55 million |
| Individual contributions | $413.65 million | $367.74 million |
| Other committee contributions | $61.02 million | $50.35 million |
| Disbursements (spending) | $544.07 million | $457.07 million |
| Cash on hand | $185.59 million | $300.78 million |
The figures cover the reporting period from Jan. 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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