Why Tech Billionaires Couldn't Buy the 2026 Election | Hard Fork

Despite record-breaking spending on various campaigns, tech titans such as Elon Musk were unable to prevent Democrats from making sweeping historic gains in the midterm elections. Our guest host Max Read is joined by Ezra Klein, an Opinion columnist and host of "The Ezra Klein Show," as well as Erin Griffith, a tech reporter at The New York Times, to discuss the role of anti-A.I. and anti-data-center sentiment, backlash against billionaires and whether Silicon Valley is experiencing a vibe shift away from the Tech Right. Then, Max speaks with Theodore Schleifer, a reporter covering the ultrawealthy, to rank tech megadonors from first to worst. Who got the most bang for their buck? 00:00 Intro: What just happened to Elon Musk? 01:08 The rise and fall of the Tech Right (with Ezra Klein and Erin Griffith) 44:40 Winners and losers in tech (with Theodore Schleifer) Additional Reading Tech Billionaires Face Tricky Political Waters After Democratic Sweep https://nyti.ms/4k18Hd4 The Bell Tolls for Trumpism https://nyti.ms/3UKj5f5 The Republican Party’s Financial Advantage Wasn’t Enough in the 2026 Midterm Elections https://nyti.ms/3WouL7L SpaceX and Tesla Stocks Tumble After Elon Musk-Backed Candidates Lose in Texas https://nyti.ms/4zryOi7 Sherrod Brown’s Win in Ohio Is a Rare Loss for Crypto Under Trump https://nyti.ms/4isiPKR Follow us on Instagram:   / hardforkpod   Follow us on TikTok:   / hardfork   Subscribe to Hard Fork:    / hardfork   Go deeper on our episodes: nytimes.com/hardfork Discover the journalism Times subscribers get daily, free for your first month in The New York Times app. Download app: https://nytimes.onelink.me/Xpht/a6wzplra