Industries
Which industries bought 2024, and whether it worked
Biggest industry
Wall Street and hedge funds
$799M in 2024
Worst bet
Telecom and media
34% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side
Best bet
Pro-Israel groups
92% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side
14 industries
Wall Street and hedge funds
Hedge funds, private equity, banks and investors.
$799M
78% to Republicans · 2022: $428M
1071 donors · 70% on the winning side · 2022: 49%
Timothy Mellon $196M, Ken Griffin $88M, Jeff Yass $77M, Paul Singer $62M, Stephen Schwarzman $33M
PAC checks to candidates · $23M
54 PACs · 4525 checks to winners, 204 to losers
The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Political Action Committee $2.0M, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. Political Action Committee (Insurpac) $1.3M, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Comm $1.2M, Investment Company Institute Political Action Committee (Ici PAC) $917K
Plus $172M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
How Congress voted on 4 bills Wall Street and hedge funds cared about →
Tech and AI
Big Tech, AI labs, their founders and venture capital.
$349M
64% to Republicans · 2022: $115M
180 donors · 63% on the winning side · 2022: 70%
Elon Musk $211M, Dustin Moskovitz $50M, Reid Hoffman $27M, Reed Hastings $9.7M, Michael Moritz $8.8M
PAC checks to candidates · $7.5M
19 PACs · 1789 checks to winners, 78 to losers
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC $946K, Dell Technologies, Inc. Political Action Committee $882K, L3harris Technologies, Inc. PAC $797K, Microsoft Corporation Stakeholders Voluntary PAC - Msvpac $770K
Plus $505M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
Agriculture, food and retail
Farming, food companies, restaurants and big retail.
$236M
81% to Republicans · 2022: $140M
174 donors · 69% on the winning side · 2022: 50%
Richard Uihlein $114M, Ronald Cameron $19M, Elizabeth Uihlein $15M, Jim Walton $13M, JB Pritzker $8.1M
PAC checks to candidates · $30M
70 PACs · 7683 checks to winners, 426 to losers
American Crystal Sugar Company Political Action Committee $2.6M, The Home Depot Inc. Political Action Committee $1.9M, Walmart Inc. PAC for Responsible Government $1.1M, Toyota Motor North America, Inc Political Action Committee (Toyota/Lexus PAC) $999K
Plus $67M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
How Congress voted on 2 bills Agriculture, food and retail cared about →
Crypto
Exchanges, token issuers and the venture funds behind them.
$213M
57% to Republicans · 2022: $63M
37 donors · 66% on the winning side · 2022: 84%
Coinbase $76M, Ripple Labs Inc. $49M, Coinbase Commerce (Exchange) $25M, Jump Crypto $25M, Christian Larsen $12M
PAC checks to candidates · $0
None of note.
Plus $53M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
Tobacco, alcohol and gambling
Cigarette makers, brewers, distillers and casinos.
$197M
98% to Republicans · 2022: $71M
31 donors · 88% on the winning side · 2022: 37%
Miriam Adelson $138M, RAI Services (Reynolds American tobacco) $19M, J Christopher Reyes $8.8M, M Jude Reyes $8.8M, Altria Client Services LLC $7.6M
PAC checks to candidates · $5.3M
7 PACs · 957 checks to winners, 49 to losers
National Beer Wholesalers Association Political Action Committee $2.7M, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc. Political Action Committee $1.1M, Altria Group, Inc. Political Action Committee (Altriapac) $763K, Constellation Brands Inc Political Action Committee $214K
Plus $159M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
Real estate and construction
Developers, builders, realtors and building suppliers.
$132M
73% to Republicans · 2022: $83M
469 donors · 75% on the winning side · 2022: 65%
Robert Bigelow $34M, Diane Hendricks $30M, Hillwood Development Company LLC $7.0M, John Fish $3.2M, National Association of Realtors $3.0M
PAC checks to candidates · $13M
15 PACs · 2095 checks to winners, 135 to losers
National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee $4.0M, Build Political Action Committee of the National Association of Home Builders (Buildpac) $2.1M, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. Political Action Committee (Abc PAC) $1.1M, National Electrical Contractors Association Political Action Committee $1.0M
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.
$131M
95% to Republicans · 2022: $75M
73 donors · 67% on the winning side · 2022: 44%
Koch Industries $44M, Timothy Dunn $15M, Kelcy Warren $13M, Chevron Corporation $7.3M, American Petroleum Institute $6.5M
PAC checks to candidates · $8.6M
25 PACs · 1673 checks to winners, 121 to losers
Koch, Inc. Political Action Committee (Kochpac) $1.6M, Chevron Employees Political Action Committee - Chevron Corporation $980K, Marathon Petroleum Corporation Employees Political Action Committee (Mpac) $617K, Valero Energy Corporation Political Action Committee $530K
Plus $265M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
How Congress voted on 8 bills Oil, gas and coal cared about →
Labor unions
Union political funds and their members' money.
$84M
87% to Democrats · 2022: $86M
74 donors · 37% on the winning side · 2022: 68%
Laborers' International Union of North America $10M, Aft Solidarity 527 $2.8M, Working Families Organization $2.1M, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees $2.1M, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees $1.1M
PAC checks to candidates · $54M
68 PACs · 8016 checks to winners, 1222 to losers
America's Credit Unions PAC of Credit Union National Association, Inc. $2.5M, Machinists Non Partisan Political League of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers $2.3M, American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees P E O P L E $2.2M, National Air Traffic Controllers Association PAC $2.1M
Plus $87M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
Telecom and media
Carriers, cable, studios and broadcasters.
$72M
75% to Democrats · 2022: $102M
102 donors · 34% on the winning side · 2022: 73%
Michael Bloomberg $39M, Amos Hostetter $4.6M, David Tepper $2.9M, K Rupert Murdoch $2.0M, Nicole Tepper $1.9M
PAC checks to candidates · $12M
18 PACs · 2609 checks to winners, 114 to losers
At&T Inc. Employee Federal Political Action Committee (At&T Employee Federal PAC) $1.9M, Comcast Corporation & Nbcuniversal Political Action Committee - Federal $1.8M, Charter Communications Inc. Political Action Committee $1.4M, Verizon Communications, Inc. Political Action Committee (Verizon PAC) $1.3M
Plus $452M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
Pharma and health care
Drug makers, insurers, hospitals and doctors.
$54M
54% to Democrats · 2022: $59M
325 donors · 50% on the winning side · 2022: 75%
Erica Lawson $2.2M, Clive Fields MD $2.1M, Karla Jurvetson $2.1M, Jennifer Millstone $1.8M, Lisa Mennet $1.4M
PAC checks to candidates · $28M
75 PACs · 6551 checks to winners, 375 to losers
American Hospital Association PAC $1.8M, American Dental Association Political Action Committee $1.4M, American Society of Anesthesiologists Political Action Committee (Asa PAC) $1.3M, Elevance Health, Inc. Political Action Committee (Elevance Health PAC) $1.0M
Plus $523M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
How Congress voted on 5 bills Pharma and health care cared about →
Pro-Israel groups
AIPAC, its super PAC and allied groups.
$25M
60% to Republicans · 2022: $16M
5 donors · 92% on the winning side · 2022: 63%
AIPAC $11M, Republican Jewish Coalition $5.7M, Democratic Majority for Israel $1.3M, Helen Zalik $50K, Kneseth Israel Congregation $50K
PAC checks to candidates · $7.1M
6 PACs · 696 checks to winners, 102 to losers
American Israel Public Affairs Committee Political Action Committee $3.2M, Jstreetpac $2.3M, Republican Jewish Coalition-Political Action Committee (Rjc-PAC) $672K, Norpac $465K
Plus $25M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
How Congress voted on 7 bills Pro-Israel groups cared about →
Insurance
Insurers and their agents.
$14M
56% to Republicans · 2022: $13M
41 donors · 58% on the winning side · 2022: 53%
Richard Colburn $1.7M, Daniel Amos $289K, David Randolph Peeler $286K, Robert Small $251K, Douglas Krupp $224K
PAC checks to candidates · $10.0M
25 PACs · 2168 checks to winners, 115 to losers
New York Life Insurance Company Political Action Committee $1.3M, Aflac Political Action Committee (Aflac PAC) $1.3M, Teachers Insurance Annuity Association of America PAC (Tiaa PAC) $672K, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies PAC $626K
Plus $297M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.
Defense contractors
Weapons makers and aerospace.
$9.3M
56% to Republicans · 2022: $17M
10 donors · 52% on the winning side · 2022: 11%
Palmer Luckey $91K, Patricia Marsland $24K, Diane Lung $23K, Brian Bacon $21K, Robert Freedman $19K
PAC checks to candidates · $9.0M
11 PACs · 1686 checks to winners, 77 to losers
The Boeing Company Political Action Committee $1.5M, Lockheed Martin Corporation Employees' Political Action Committee $1.4M, Employees of Rtx Corporation Political Action Committee $1.2M, General Dynamics Corporation Political Action Committee (General Dynamics Employee PAC) $1.2M
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.
$2.2M
100% to Republicans · 2022: $8.8M
2 donors · 88% on the winning side · 2022: 34%
Gun Owners of America Inc. $1.3M, Danny Clark $10K
PAC checks to candidates · $926K
2 PACs · 278 checks to winners, 23 to losers
National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund $622K, Safari Club International PAC (Sci-PAC) $304K
Plus $70M on lobbying by its biggest players, 2021–2026.