South Texans set a course for Musk's Starbase

Voters in a part of South Texas that is home to Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX will decide Saturday whether to incorporate into a city named Starbase.

Voters in a part of south Texas that is home to Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, will decide Saturday whether to officially turn a small, coastal stretch at the southern tip of the Lone Star State into a city named Starbase.

If the measure passes, which seems likely, the newly incorporated city would cover only about 1½ square miles, but it would be a much-needed win for the tech billionaire who has had a bruising past few months.

In the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s administration, Musk was a mainstay at the White House, flexing his temporary role as chief of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which oversaw cuts and widespread layoffs across federal agencies.

But while DOGE projects helped Musk gain enormous power and influence, his reputation has taken a beating in the process. His outsize role in the Trump administration and his efforts to downsize the federal workforce have made him the target of protests around the country. And his electric car company, Tesla, reported a steep drop in profits last month.

But Saturday’s vote is expected to be a sure victory for the controversial billionaire. For one, most of the 283 eligible voters — residents of Cameron County whose homes would fall within the boundaries of the proposed new city — are SpaceX employees or have some connection to the company.