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Elon Musk weighs in on Ohio's 9th District race

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Elon Musk weighs in on Ohio's 9th District race

As the November election gets closer, one tech billionaire is taking interest in the race for Ohio’s 9th congressional district.

Elon Musk’s America PAC has pledged $170,058, which is to be spent equally in support of state Rep. Derek Merrin (R., Monclova Township) and in opposition to incumbent U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo).

Mr. Merrin’s campaign did not immediately respond to request for comment.

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According to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission, $160,125 will be given to Blitz Canvassing, a Colorado-based firm that focuses on canvassing and field operations. The remaining amount will go to the Lukens Company, a Virginia-based marketing agency that focuses on donor development and fund-raising strategies.

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Chris Gober, a Texas lawyer who is listed as the treasurer for the PAC, did not respond to a request for comment.

Echoing some of its television ads, Ms. Kaptur’s campaign called Mr. Merrin a puppet, saying that if elected, Mr. Merrin will work for Mr. Musk in D.C. In one of the campaign’s most recent television ads Mr. Merrin is depicted as a puppet, who according to the ad, works for “billionaires and greedy corporations.”

“Out of state billionaires are lining up behind Derek Merrin because they know he will do their bidding in Washington,” Alexandra Wilcox, Ms. Kaptur’s campaign manager, said. “Voters only need to turn on their television to see the lying ads funded by outsiders who only care about their bottom line.”

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Outside organizations have brought in millions for both candidates in the race. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spent more than $1.1 million in advertising reservations in the district, and the House Majority PAC, a super PAC focused on electing Democrats to the House, has spent more than $1.96 million.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has spent $1.3 million on advertising reservations in the district, and the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC helping Republican candidates win their districts, has spent $3.9 million.

Still, Ms. Kaptur’s campaign said Mr. Musk can’t buy her seat.

“While puppets like Merrin do exactly what those deep-pocketed donors tell him, Congresswoman Kaptur fights for working families and stands up to the big-money outsiders rigging Ohio districts, pulling Merrin’s strings, and doing everything they can to buy a seat in Congress,” Ms. Wilcox said.

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The filing is just one in a series of other competitive House races across the United States. The only other Ohio race the PAC has donated to is for the 13th congressional district, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D., Akron) is facing former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin, a Republican who represented Cuyahoga Falls from 2001 to 2010. The PAC has invested $227,175.90 in the race, which is to be spent equally in support of Mr. Coughlin and in opposition to Ms. Sykes.

The filing also includes more than $57 million to the presidential race, supporting former President Donald Trump and opposing Vice President Kamala Harris.

As of June 30, Mr. Musk had not personally contributed to the PAC, but it is unclear if he has since then. On July 13, Mr. Musk endorsed Trump and three days later, the Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Musk pledged to donate $45 million a month to Trump’s campaign. He has since denied the remark. The PAC does not have to disclose any contributions made after June 30 until Oct. 15.

First Published September 19, 2024, 8:52 p.m.

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Elon Musk arrives at an event in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024.  (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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