By Rajwa Quasim
Elon Musk has donated $5 million to support Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign for Ohio governor, adding a major financial boost to the Republican candidate ahead of the November election.
The funds were directed to Victors, Not Victims (V-PAC), the chief political action committee backing Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign. The contribution comes as Ramaswamy seeks to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine and positions himself as a leading contender in the race.
As per Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, Musk also contributed less than $500,000 to America PAC that he founded in July 2024. The latest donations brings his political spending in the current midterm election cycle to at least $90 million.
Musk’s contribution comes after having previously teamed up with Ramaswamy, right after Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential win to launch the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with a big promise to cut government spending, modernize outdated systems and clear out unnecessary red tape across federal agencies.
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In the early days, DOGE actually had some wins to show for itself. It helped in speeding up the procurement process at NASA and Department of Defence. It also put pressure to shut down programs that duplicated each.
Before long, the cracks became visible. Musk and Ramaswamy had divergence of views in how fast reforms should move, how deep the spending cuts should go and how the project should be presented to the public. On top of that, Washington’s resistance to change created friction too. The partnership ended in 2025 with Musk exiting DOGE despite its original expiration being July 2026.
Musk later summed it up by calling “intensely productive but ultimately finite,” meanwhile Ramaswamy took a more forward-looking view, noting that the experience had readied him to lead more effectively at the state level. After leaving DOGE, Ramaswamy turned his attention to state-level politics. Campaigned on few core promises: limited government, supporting business- friendly policies and pushing for more innovation.
Ramaswamy is expected to face Democrat candidate Amy Acton in the general election. The Cook Political Report recently changed its rating of the race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss-Up,” suggesting either candidate could win.
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According to AdImpact, Musk has given roughly $50 million to America PAC in 2025-26 but it hasn’t spent any money on advertising this year yet. According to Bloomberg, Meta Platforms Inc.’s ad library shows no active ads on Facebook or Instagram by America PAC.
Musk also donated $10 million each to the Republican Supporting Senate Leadership Fund and Congressional Leadership Fund. Back in January, Musk donated $10 million to a group called Fight for Kentucky PAC, which supported Republican candidate Nate Morris. Later Morris withdrew from race in May as trump urged him to step aside.
During the 2024 election cycle, Musk was not only one of the Republican Party’s biggest financial backers but also one of Trump’s most visible campaign surrogates. He appeared at MAGA rallies, attended election night at Mar-a-Lago, and spoke at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. After the election, Musk also pledged that America PAC would continue operating beyond the campaign.
“Normally, PACs go somewhat dormant after a big election,” Musk wrote on X. “@America PAC is going to do the opposite and keep grinding, increasing Republican registrations in key districts around the country, in preparation for special elections and the midterms.”