Industries

Which industries bought 2020, and whether it worked

Donors and PACs grouped by the business behind the money. Two streams for each: gifts to super PACs from people and companies in the industry (traced through to results), and PAC checks written straight to candidates. Classification is by employer and organisation name, so it is a floor, not a ceiling.

Biggest industry

Wall Street and hedge funds

$558M in 2020

Worst bet

Gun lobby

13% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side

Best bet

Crypto

89% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side

14 industries

Share of $1.71B in traced industry money.
✓ Backed the winner or attacked the loser ✗ Backed the loser or attacked the winner Result not matched

Wall Street and hedge funds

Hedge funds, private equity, banks and investors.

$558M

61% to Republicans

Plus $172M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 4 bills Wall Street and hedge funds cared about →

Tobacco, alcohol and gambling

Cigarette makers, brewers, distillers and casinos.

$261M

97% to Republicans

Plus $159M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

Telecom and media

Carriers, cable, studios and broadcasters.

$201M

88% to Democrats

Plus $452M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

Agriculture, food and retail

Farming, food companies, restaurants and big retail.

$152M

79% to Republicans

Super PAC money · $121MLoser

266 donors · 34% on the winning side

Richard Uihlein $65M, Bernie Marcus $20M, Ronald Cameron $12M, JB Pritzker $3.8M, Elizabeth Uihlein $3.4M

Plus $67M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 2 bills Agriculture, food and retail cared about →

Labor unions

Union political funds and their members' money.

$138M

91% to Democrats

Plus $87M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 4 bills Labor unions cared about →

Tech and AI

Big Tech, AI labs, their founders and venture capital.

$125M

86% to Democrats

Super PAC money · $115MWinner

261 donors · 74% on the winning side

Dustin Moskovitz $50M, Reid Hoffman $8.6M, Connie Ballmer $8.5M, Lawrence Ellison $6.3M, Michael Moritz $5.1M

Plus $505M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 2 bills Tech and AI cared about →

Pharma and health care

Drug makers, insurers, hospitals and doctors.

$86M

75% to Democrats

Plus $523M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 5 bills Pharma and health care cared about →

Real estate and construction

Developers, builders, realtors and building suppliers.

$78M

59% to Republicans

Plus $473M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 1 bill Real estate and construction cared about →

Oil, gas and coal

Producers, pipelines, refiners and the Koch network.

$60M

94% to Republicans

Plus $265M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 8 bills Oil, gas and coal cared about →

Insurance

Insurers and their agents.

$15M

52% to Democrats

Super PAC money · $3.7MMixed

51 donors · 63% on the winning side

David Randolph Peeler $535K, George Krupp $497K, Richard Colburn $457K, Robert Small $354K, Douglas Krupp $336K

Plus $297M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 1 bill Insurance cared about →

Crypto

Exchanges, token issuers and the venture funds behind them.

$12M

100% to Democrats

Super PAC money · $12MWinner

5 donors · 89% on the winning side

Alameda Research LLC $5.2M, Sam Bankman-Fried $5.0M, Nishad Singh $1.0M, Jeffrey Berns $250K, Stephen Clark $10K

PAC checks to candidates · $0

None of note.

Plus $53M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 6 bills Crypto cared about →

Defense contractors

Weapons makers and aerospace.

$9.4M

53% to Republicans

Super PAC money · $403KMixed

17 donors · 48% on the winning side

Palmer Luckey $71K, David Calhoun $50K, James Harvey $42K, Charles White $42K, David Jaffe $26K

Plus $341M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 4 bills Defense contractors cared about →

Gun lobby

The NRA and firearms makers.

$6.4M

100% to Republicans

Super PAC money · $5.2MLoser

1 donors · 13% on the winning side

Nra Institute for Legislative Action $5.2M

PAC checks to candidates · $1.2M

3 PACs · 316 checks to winners, 43 to losers

National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund $601K, Safari Club International PAC (Sci-PAC) $388K, Gun Owners of America, Inc. Political Victory Fund $171K

Plus $70M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 5 bills Gun lobby cared about →

Pro-Israel groups

AIPAC, its super PAC and allied groups.

$4.0M

68% to Republicans

Super PAC money · $2.4MLoser

3 donors · 32% on the winning side

Republican Jewish Coalition $1.8M, Democratic Majority for Israel $600K, Yisrael Friedman $13K

PAC checks to candidates · $1.6M

5 PACs · 339 checks to winners, 131 to losers

Jstreetpac $531K, Republican Jewish Coalition-Political Action Committee (Rjc-PAC) $330K, Dmfi PAC $314K, Norpac $247K

Plus $25M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.

How Congress voted on 7 bills Pro-Israel groups cared about →