Democrat megadonor Reid Hoffman poured more than $10 million into a super PAC boosting Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico, according to several reports citing newly filed federal records.
The LinkedIn co-founder gave $10 million to Lone Star Rising PAC, according to Bloomberg, which cited Federal Election Commission filings. The pro-Talarico group has spent millions backing the Austin state representative and hammering his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Hoffman’s June contribution was the largest single donation received by the super PAC during the reporting period. Hoffman had already poured roughly $1.5 million into groups supporting Talarico’s campaign.
Hoffman’s name resurfaced this year in the Justice Department’s Epstein files. Documents released in January reportedly placed him at Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The same records tied him to the financier’s New Mexico ranch and Manhattan apartment. Hoffman has acknowledged the relationship and said he regrets it, calling his contact with Epstein fundraising-related.
This contradicts Talarico’s campaign messaging, as the Democrat has vowed to ban super PACs, sworn off corporate PAC money, and declared that “the Epstein class has no place in Texas.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) lost to Talarico in the March primary. She has kept her distance since. Crockett previously said that black voters have not rallied behind him. She also plans to skip the Texas Democrat convention.
“I’ve not heard a bunch of kumbaya,” she said.
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