Industries

Which industries bought 2026, 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

$350M in 2026

Worst bet

Tobacco, alcohol and gambling

6% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side

Best bet

Labor unions

96% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side

14 industries

Share of $1.55B in traced industry money.
✓ Backed the winner or attacked the loser ✗ Backed the loser or attacked the winner Race not called yet Result not matched

Wall Street and hedge funds

Hedge funds, private equity, banks and investors.

$350M

74% to Republicans · 2024: $799M

Super PAC money · $329MLoser

753 donors · 29% on the winning side · 2024: 70%

Jeff Yass $55M, Paul Singer $32M, Ken Griffin $30M, Stephen Schwarzman $28M, Timothy Mellon $21M

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.

$298M

76% to Republicans · 2024: $349M

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

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

Crypto

Exchanges, token issuers and the venture funds behind them.

$241M

74% to Republicans · 2024: $213M

Super PAC money · $241MLoser

43 donors · 26% on the winning side · 2024: 66%

Ripple Labs Inc. $49M, Crypto.com (Foris DAX) $38M, Coinbase $28M, Gemini (Winklevoss twins' exchange) $24M, Winklevoss Capital Fund, LLC $21M

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 →

Agriculture, food and retail

Farming, food companies, restaurants and big retail.

$137M

76% to Republicans · 2024: $236M

Super PAC money · $114MLoser

120 donors · 34% on the winning side · 2024: 69%

Richard Uihlein $59M, JB Pritzker $11M, Jim Walton $9.7M, Ronald Cameron $7.7M, Rob Walton $7.1M

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

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

Tobacco, alcohol and gambling

Cigarette makers, brewers, distillers and casinos.

$126M

96% to Republicans · 2024: $197M

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

Oil, gas and coal

Producers, pipelines, refiners and the Koch network.

$115M

97% to Republicans · 2024: $131M

Super PAC money · $109MLoser

52 donors · 10% on the winning side · 2024: 67%

Koch Inc. $31M, Energy Transfer LP $13M, Kelcy Warren $13M, Chevron Corporation $8.4M, American Petroleum Institute $7.0M

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

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

Real estate and construction

Developers, builders, realtors and building suppliers.

$71M

59% to Republicans · 2024: $132M

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

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

Pharma and health care

Drug makers, insurers, hospitals and doctors.

$59M

60% to Republicans · 2024: $54M

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

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

Labor unions

Union political funds and their members' money.

$48M

86% to Democrats · 2024: $84M

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

How Congress voted on 4 bills Labor unions cared about →

Telecom and media

Carriers, cable, studios and broadcasters.

$44M

75% to Democrats · 2024: $72M

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

Pro-Israel groups

AIPAC, its super PAC and allied groups.

$36M

51% to Republicans · 2024: $25M

Super PAC money · $32MMixed

5 donors · 46% on the winning side · 2024: 92%

AIPAC $30M, Democratic Majority for Israel $1.4M, J Street (C4 Fund) $315K, Voice of the Children of Israel $250K, Voices of the Children of Israel $100K

PAC checks to candidates · $3.8M

4 PACs · 348 checks to winners, 79 to losers

American Israel Public Affairs Committee Political Action Committee $2.7M, Republican Jewish Coalition Political Action Committee (Rjc-PAC) $460K, Jstreetpac $443K, Norpac $245K

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.

$12M

52% to Republicans · 2024: $14M

Super PAC money · $3.5MMixed

35 donors · 63% on the winning side · 2024: 58%

David Randolph Peeler $1.4M, Daniel Amos $354K, David Sterling $255K, George Krupp $243K, Richard Colburn $144K

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

How Congress voted on 1 bill Insurance cared about →

Defense contractors

Weapons makers and aerospace.

$8.8M

57% to Republicans · 2024: $9.3M

Super PAC money · $296KLoser

6 donors · 31% on the winning side · 2024: 52%

Brian Schimpf $177K, Xp Aerospace $50K, Palmer Luckey $25K, William Budmats $20K, Patricia Marsland $13K

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.

$760K

100% to Republicans · 2024: $2.2M

Super PAC money · $25K

1 donors · nothing decided yet · 2024: 88%

Randy Kozuch $25K

PAC checks to candidates · $735K

2 PACs · 161 checks to winners, 41 to losers

National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund $467K, Safari Club International PAC (Sci-PAC) $268K

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

How Congress voted on 5 bills Gun lobby cared about →