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Donor

James Simons

Individual

Money Manager, Renaissance Technologies · New York

19 reported gifts; 8 recipient groups listed, as reported to the FEC by the groups that received them.

Mixed results

James Simons gave $22M 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, 54% were on the winning side ($8.8M won, $7.6M lost). $15K had no matched result and is excluded.

Gave to outside spenders

$22M

100% of it helped Democrats

Winning share of scored dollars

54%

$16M scored (76% of gifts)

Spent on the losing side

$7.6M

Not allocated or result unknown

$5.1M

$5.1M not allocated to tracked outside spending; $15K 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
Senate Majority PAC

$3.6M not allocated to tracked outside spending

$9.5M
$2.4M / $3.4M
House Majority PAC

$683K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$5.0M
$793K / $3.5M
Priorities USA Action

$40K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$4.0M
$3.4M / $597K
Unite the Country

$684K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$3.0M
$2.3M / $63K
DSCC

$25K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$36K
$2K / $9K
NRSC

$2K not allocated to tracked outside spending

$3K
$559 / $383
Georgia United Victory

$18 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$500
$340 / $142
Moveon.Org Political Action

$36 not allocated to tracked outside spending

$45
$6 / $3

The trail

What the money bought

The candidates James Simons's money was spent for or against, pro-rated by James Simons's share of each group's funding.
CandidateRaceSpendingTheir sharePaid off?
Joe BidenPresidentSupporting$2.9M✓ Yes
Donald TrumpPresidentAttacking$1.7M✓ Yes
Joe BidenPresident (primary)Supporting$988K✓ Yes
Thom TilllisNorth Carolina SenateAttacking$970K✗ No
Joni ErnstIowa SenateAttacking$867K✗ No
David A. PerdueGeorgia SenateAttacking$800K✓ Yes
John JamesMichigan SenateAttacking$744K✓ Yes
Susan Margaret CollinsMaine SenateAttacking$714K✗ No
Martha McSallyArizona SenateAttacking$451K✓ Yes
Steve DainesMontana SenateAttacking$407K✗ No
Cal CunninghamNorth Carolina SenateSupporting$260K✗ No
Donald TrumpPresident (primary)Attacking$252K✗ No

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

Questions people ask

How much did James Simons spend on the 2020 elections, and did it win?
James Simons gave $22M 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, 54% were on the winning side ($8.8M won, $7.6M lost). $15K had no matched result and is excluded.
Which super PACs did James Simons fund in 2020?
Senate Majority PAC ($9.5M), House Majority PAC ($5.0M), Priorities USA Action ($4.0M), Unite the Country ($3.0M), DSCC ($36K).
Which candidates did James Simons's money end up backing or attacking in 2020?
for Joe Biden (President, about $2.9M, won); against Donald Trump (President, about $1.7M, won); for Joe Biden (President, about $988K, won). Amounts are the donor's share of each group's spending.