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Donor

David Shaw

Individual

Biomedical Research, D.E. Shaw Research · New York

200 reported gifts; 12 recipient groups listed, as reported to the FEC by the groups that received them.

Backed winners

David Shaw gave $5.5M to super PACs and other outside groups in the 2020 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Dec 31, 2020). Among dollars with a matched election-stage result, 68% were on the winning side ($3.1M won, $1.5M lost). $1K had no matched result and is excluded.

Gave to outside spenders

$5.5M

100% of it helped Democrats

Winning share of scored dollars

68%

$4.6M scored (83% of gifts)

Spent on the losing side

$1.5M

Not allocated or result unknown

$938K

$937K not allocated to tracked outside spending; $1K has no matched result. Neither is cash on hand.

Where the checks went

A person writing checks from their own fortune. Each gift is split the way the group that received it split its spending between winners and losers, so a $10M check to a group that spent 80% on losers counts as $8M on the losing side.
✓ Backed the winner or attacked the loser ✗ Backed the loser or attacked the winner Result not matched
GroupGaveHow the group spent itWon / lost
Priorities USA Action

$30K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$3.0M
$2.5M / $447K
Senate Majority PAC

$767K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$2.0M
$513K / $721K
House Majority PAC

$55K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$401K
$63K / $281K
DSCC

$52K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$74K
$3K / $18K
DCCC

$27K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$36K
$2K / $8K
NRCC

$3K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$4K
$1K / $90
Republican National Committee

$2K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$2K
$0 / $15
NRSC

$829 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$1K
$264 / $181
Moveon.Org Political Action

$301 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$375
$52 / $21
American Hospital Association PAC

$190 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$250
$60 / $0
Ab PAC

$29 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$100
$61 / $10
Progressive Turnout Project

$71 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$75
$3 / $0

The trail

What the money bought

The candidates David Shaw's money was spent for or against, pro-rated by David Shaw's share of each group's funding.
CandidateRaceSpendingTheir sharePaid off?
Donald TrumpPresidentAttacking$1.2M✓ Yes
Joe BidenPresidentSupporting$1.2M✓ Yes
Thom TilllisNorth Carolina SenateAttacking$259K✗ No
Susan Margaret CollinsMaine SenateAttacking$195K✗ No
Joni ErnstIowa SenateAttacking$189K✗ No
Cal CunninghamNorth Carolina SenateSupporting$175K✗ No
David A. PerdueGeorgia SenateAttacking$169K✓ Yes
John JamesMichigan SenateAttacking$157K✓ Yes
Donald TrumpPresident (primary)Attacking$142K✗ No
Martha McSallyArizona SenateAttacking$137K✓ Yes
Steve DainesMontana SenateAttacking$90K✗ No
Joe BidenPresident (primary)Supporting$51K✓ Yes

Individual as classified from the FEC entity type and public reporting.

Questions people ask

How much did David Shaw spend on the 2020 elections, and did it win?
David Shaw gave $5.5M to super PACs and other outside groups in the 2020 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Dec 31, 2020). Among dollars with a matched election-stage result, 68% were on the winning side ($3.1M won, $1.5M lost). $1K had no matched result and is excluded.
Which super PACs did David Shaw fund in 2020?
Priorities USA Action ($3.0M), Senate Majority PAC ($2.0M), House Majority PAC ($401K), DSCC ($74K), DCCC ($36K).
Which candidates did David Shaw's money end up backing or attacking in 2020?
against Donald Trump (President, about $1.2M, won); for Joe Biden (President, about $1.2M, won); against Thom Tilllis (North Carolina Senate, about $259K, lost). Amounts are the donor's share of each group's spending.