Who are the top all-time political donors from 1989-2014? You will be surprised!
American voters are increasingly concerned about the growing influence of money in the electoral process. Politicians and candidates are increasingly addicted to raising money, and with it comes political influence from donors. With political influence comes government fraud, waste and abuse. The major political parties have sophisticated systems for raising funds. So who are the top all-time political donors? If you listen to Democrats it is the Koch brothers. Republicans mention George Soros. Neither came close to making the all-time top list.
Opensecrets.org has compiled a list of the top “all-time donors” from 1989 to 2014. The totals include reported contributions from PACs and individuals affiliated with Heavy Hitter organizations, which are defined as the top overall donors to candidates, parties, Leadership PACs and other committees.
Contributions to outside groups like super PACs do not factor into an organization’s designation as a Heavy Hitter, however the totals below do include contributions by Heavy Hitters to such groups, as well as contributions to candidates, parties, Leadership PACs and other committees. Furthermore, the totals do not include contributions to politically active nonprofits, which are not disclosed to the public. For a full list of top top overall donors by cycle, independent of Heavy Hitters status, go here.
| LEGEND: |
|
| = Between 40% and 59% to both parties = Leans Dem/Repub (60%-69%) = Strongly Dem/Repub (70%-89%) = Solidly Dem/Repub (over 90%) |
|
| Rank | Organization | Total ’89-’12 | Dem % | Repub % | Tilt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ActBlue | $97,192,340 | 99% | 0% | |
| 2 | American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees | $60,667,379 | 81% | 1% | |
| 3 | AT&T Inc | $56,449,317 | 41% | 57% | |
| 4 | National Education Assn | $53,594,488 | 61% | 4% | |
| 5 | National Assn of Realtors | $51,207,902 | 44% | 47% | |
| 6 | Goldman Sachs | $44,847,951 | 53% | 44% | |
| 7 | Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | $44,478,789 | 92% | 1% | |
| 8 | United Auto Workers | $41,667,858 | 71% | 0% | |
| 9 | Carpenters & Joiners Union | $39,260,371 | 74% | 9% | |
| 10 | Service Employees International Union | $38,395,690 | 84% | 2% | |
| 11 | Laborers Union | $37,494,010 | 85% | 7% | |
| 12 | American Federation of Teachers | $36,713,325 | 89% | 0% | |
| 13 | Communications Workers of America | $36,188,135 | 86% | 0% | |
| 14 | Teamsters Union | $36,123,209 | 88% | 5% | |
| 15 | JPMorgan Chase & Co | $34,527,277 | 48% | 51% | |
| 16 | United Food & Commercial Workers Union | $33,756,550 | 86% | 0% | |
| 17 | United Parcel Service | $32,214,128 | 35% | 64% | |
| 18 | Citigroup Inc | $32,198,122 | 48% | 50% | |
| 19 | National Auto Dealers Assn | $31,818,910 | 31% | 68% | |
| 20 | Machinists & Aerospace Workers Union | $31,313,097 | 98% | 1% | |
| 21 | EMILY’s List | $31,267,654 | 98% | 0% | |
| 22 | American Bankers Assn | $31,135,202 | 36% | 63% | |
| 23 | AFL-CIO | $30,938,977 | 61% | 3% | |
| 24 | American Medical Assn | $29,990,879 | 40% | 59% | |
| 25 | Microsoft Corp | $29,245,015 | 55% | 43% | |
| 26 | National Beer Wholesalers Assn | $28,976,510 | 35% | 64% | |
| 27 | Blue Cross/Blue Shield | $28,491,678 | 36% | 63% | |
| 28 | General Electric | $27,741,628 | 47% | 51% | |
| 29 | National Assn of Home Builders | $27,509,880 | 34% | 65% | |
| 30 | Lockheed Martin | $27,246,173 | 42% | 57% | |
| 31 | Bank of America | $26,822,749 | 41% | 57% | |
| 32 | National Assn of Letter Carriers | $26,106,359 | 84% | 9% | |
| 33 | Morgan Stanley | $26,074,770 | 42% | 56% | |
| 34 | Verizon Communications | $25,490,499 | 40% | 59% | |
| 35 | Deloitte LLP | $24,979,333 | 35% | 63% | |
| 36 | Time Warner | $24,463,922 | 72% | 25% | |
| 37 | Newsweb Corp | $24,387,371 | 41% | 0% | |
| 38 | Credit Union National Assn | $24,056,155 | 47% | 51% | |
| 39 | Plumbers & Pipefitters Union | $23,886,248 | 85% | 4% | |
| 40 | Altria Group | $23,750,298 | 28% | 70% | |
| 41 | Ernst & Young | $23,114,243 | 42% | 57% | |
| 42 | Operating Engineers Union | $23,036,848 | 82% | 14% | |
| 43 | International Assn of Fire Fighters | $22,963,260 | 79% | 16% | |
| 44 | American Hospital Assn | $22,909,326 | 52% | 46% | |
| 45 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | $22,461,596 | 35% | 64% | |
| 46 | Sheet Metal Workers Union | $22,372,978 | 95% | 2% | |
| 47 | American Dental Assn | $21,791,508 | 44% | 54% | |
| 48 | Boeing Co | $21,502,737 | 46% | 52% | |
| 49 | UBS AG | $21,354,742 | 40% | 58% | |
| 50 | Comcast Corp | $20,603,390 | 57% | 42% | |
| 51 | AFLAC Inc | $19,822,809 | 43% | 56% | |
| 52 | National Rifle Assn | $19,771,191 | 17% | 82% | |
| 53 | Pfizer Inc | $19,699,869 | 35% | 64% | |
| 54 | Northrop Grumman | $19,633,964 | 42% | 57% | |
| 55 | Union Pacific Corp | $19,617,968 | 27% | 72% | |
| 56 | Air Line Pilots Assn | $19,538,047 | 83% | 16% | |
| 57 | Honeywell International | $19,447,557 | 44% | 54% | |
| 58 | Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors | $19,305,624 | 41% | 58% | |
| 59 | Koch Industries | $18,083,948 | 8% | 90% | |
| 60 | American Postal Workers Union | $17,957,308 | 86% | 2% | |
| 61 | American Assn for Justice | $17,581,358 | 80% | 3% | |
| 62 | FedEx Corp | $17,506,083 | 39% | 60% | |
| 63 | Ironworkers Union | $17,386,345 | 92% | 6% | |
| 64 | Club for Growth | $17,271,352 | 0% | 95% | |
| 65 | Credit Suisse Group | $17,191,340 | 41% | 57% | |
| 66 | United Transportation Union | $17,096,750 | 87% | 11% | |
| 67 | New York Life Insurance | $16,898,487 | 49% | 50% | |
| 68 | Raytheon Co | $16,864,289 | 44% | 55% | |
| 69 | National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn | $16,552,363 | 47% | 52% | |
| 70 | General Dynamics | $16,549,202 | 46% | 53% | |
| 71 | Akin, Gump et al | $16,463,510 | 61% | 37% | |
| 72 | United Steelworkers | $16,426,444 | 99% | 0% | |
| 73 | American Institute of CPAs | $15,952,635 | 41% | 58% | |
| 74 | National Air Traffic Controllers Assn | $15,883,050 | 77% | 20% | |
| 75 | Chevron | $15,826,864 | 19% | 64% | |
| 76 | Anheuser-Busch | $15,612,613 | 48% | 51% | |
| 77 | Reynolds American | $15,574,198 | 22% | 77% | |
| 78 | Exxon Mobil | $15,220,537 | 13% | 85% | |
| 79 | KPMG LLP | $15,112,328 | 34% | 65% | |
| 80 | National Cable & Telecommunications Assn | $15,048,560 | 47% | 51% | |
| 81 | DLA Piper | $14,902,117 | 68% | 31% | |
| 82 | Merrill Lynch | $14,865,217 | 37% | 62% | |
| 83 | Wal-Mart Stores | $14,851,004 | 32% | 67% | |
| 84 | GlaxoSmithKline | $14,625,493 | 30% | 69% | |
| 85 | CSX Corp | $14,118,661 | 34% | 65% | |
| 86 | Walt Disney Co | $14,104,107 | 68% | 30% | |
| 87 | News Corp | $13,917,083 | 58% | 41% | |
| 88 | American Financial Group | $13,910,355 | 15% | 73% | |
| 89 | Indep Insurance Agents & Brokers/America | $13,731,200 | 34% | 64% | |
| 90 | American Health Care Assn | $13,727,858 | 51% | 48% | |
| 91 | Wells Fargo | $13,639,116 | 36% | 61% | |
| 92 | Associated Builders & Contractors | $13,577,082 | 1% | 98% | |
| 93 | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance | $13,565,554 | 38% | 60% | |
| 94 | University of California | $13,552,056 | 89% | 9% | |
| 95 | American Crystal Sugar | $13,309,209 | 61% | 37% | |
| 96 | WPP Group | $13,257,197 | 53% | 45% | |
| 97 | American Society of Anesthesiologists | $13,166,537 | 41% | 58% | |
| 98 | Prudential Financial | $13,051,316 | 49% | 50% | |
| 99 | Southern Co | $12,973,439 | 29% | 70% | |
| 100 | National Restaurant Assn | $12,605,181 | 16% | 83% | |
| 101 | Securities Industry & Financial Mkt Assn | $12,438,248 | 40% | 59% | |
| 102 | Human Rights Campaign | $12,148,422 | 89% | 8% | |
| 103 | MetLife Inc | $12,038,047 | 51% | 47% | |
| 104 | American Optometric Assn | $12,034,433 | 57% | 42% | |
| 105 | Home Depot | $11,900,495 | 25% | 74% | |
| 106 | American Academy of Ophthalmology | $11,895,708 | 50% | 49% | |
| 107 | Natl Active & Retired Fed Employees Assn | $11,802,200 | 78% | 21% | |
| 108 | Saban Capital Group | $11,683,172 | 89% | 0% | |
| 109 | Eli Lilly & Co | $11,651,455 | 31% | 67% | |
| 110 | United Technologies | $11,577,894 | 45% | 52% | |
| 111 | General Motors | $11,281,497 | 38% | 60% | |
| 112 | Associated General Contractors | $11,198,897 | 14% | 85% | |
| 113 | Painters & Allied Trades Union | $11,081,080 | 85% | 12% | |
| 114 | National Assn of Broadcasters | $11,051,822 | 44% | 55% | |
| 115 | American Maritime Officers | $11,019,831 | 46% | 53% | |
| 116 | UST Inc | $10,930,093 | 22% | 77% | |
| 117 | Ford Motor Co | $10,739,089 | 38% | 60% | |
| 118 | Skadden, Arps et al | $10,700,094 | 77% | 22% | |
| 119 | BellSouth Corp | $10,680,784 | 43% | 56% | |
| 120 | AIG | $10,548,621 | 49% | 50% | |
| 121 | Seafarers International Union | $10,449,415 | 83% | 15% | |
| 122 | Exelon Corp | $10,448,670 | 43% | 56% | |
| 123 | National Cmte to Preserve Social Security & Medicare | $10,391,306 | 82% | 17% | |
| 124 | Independent Community Bankers of America | $10,367,285 | 42% | 57% | |
| 125 | Amway/Alticor Inc | $10,312,313 | 0% | 97% | |
| 126 | Freddie Mac | $10,294,709 | 43% | 56% | |
| 127 | MBNA Corp | $10,282,913 | 16% | 83% | |
| 128 | Patton Boggs LLP | $10,134,606 | 71% | 27% | |
| 129 | American Airlines | $10,071,131 | 43% | 55% | |
| 130 | American Trucking Assns | $9,975,648 | 27% | 72% | |
| 131 | American Physical Therapy Assn | $9,795,983 | 49% | 50% | |
| 132 | Lehman Brothers | $9,729,764 | 52% | 46% | |
| 133 | Blackstone Group | $9,658,975 | 46% | 51% | |
| 134 | National Fedn of Independent Business | $9,616,283 | 6% | 93% | |
| 135 | Greenberg Traurig LLP | $9,546,903 | 62% | 37% | |
| 136 | Transport Workers Union | $9,531,899 | 95% | 4% | |
| 137 | American Council of Life Insurers | $9,454,728 | 38% | 61% | |
| 138 | Amalgamated Transit Union | $9,453,918 | 93% | 6% | |
| 139 | Harvard University | $9,436,590 | 87% | 12% | |
| 140 | Archer Daniels Midland | $9,394,067 | 42% | 57% | |
| 141 | Aircraft Owners & Pilots Assn | $9,337,413 | 43% | 56% | |
| 142 | Fannie Mae | $9,140,977 | 53% | 46% | |
| 143 | National Rural Letter Carriers Assn | $9,021,100 | 71% | 28% | |
| 144 | Wachovia Corp | $8,575,944 | 30% | 69% | |
| 145 | National Cmte for an Effective Congress | $8,447,690 | 99% | 0% | |
| 146 | Interpublic Group | $8,286,183 | 66% | 32% | |
| 147 | Marine Engineers Beneficial Assn | $8,155,379 | 73% | 25% | |
| 148 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $7,926,699 | 23% | 76% | |
| 149 | MCI Inc | $7,659,226 | 45% | 54% | |
| 150 | Bear Stearns | $7,280,973 | 55% | 43% | |
| 151 | BP | $6,843,520 | 30% | 69% | |
| 152 | Enron Corp | $6,544,528 | 28% | 71% | |
| 153 | Andersen | $6,267,045 | 37% | 62% | |
| 154 | Vivendi | $6,037,717 | 60% | 33% | |
| 155 | MGM Resorts International | $5,831,055 | 45% | 47% | |
| 156 | Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp | $5,089,791 | 39% | 60% |
Based on data released by the FEC on December 16, 2013.
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center. See something wrong or want to suggest an improvement? Contact us.
EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is courtesy of Svilen.milev. The image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
[…] […]
Comments are closed.