Industries

Which industries bought 2022, 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

$428M in 2022

Worst bet

Defense contractors

11% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side

Best bet

Crypto

84% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side

14 industries

Share of $1.28B 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.

$428M

67% to Republicans · 2020: $558M

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

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

Agriculture, food and retail

Farming, food companies, restaurants and big retail.

$140M

71% to Republicans · 2020: $152M

Super PAC money · $114MMixed

172 donors · 50% on the winning side · 2020: 34%

Richard Uihlein $77M, Bernie Marcus $12M, Ronald Cameron $9.6M, Elizabeth Uihlein $5.2M, JB Pritzker $1.2M

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

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

Tech and AI

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

$115M

60% to Republicans · 2020: $125M

Super PAC money · $107MWinner

142 donors · 70% on the winning side · 2020: 74%

Peter Thiel $35M, Lawrence Ellison $30M, Reid Hoffman $8.0M, Connie Ballmer $6.0M, Michael Moritz $4.0M

PAC checks to candidates · $8.1M

19 PACs · 1764 checks to winners, 41 to losers

Employees of Raytheon Technologies Corporation PAC $1.3M, Amazon.Com Services LLC Separate Segregated Fund (Amazon PAC) $996K, L3harris Technologies, Inc. PAC $807K, Google LLC Netpac $758K

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

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

Telecom and media

Carriers, cable, studios and broadcasters.

$102M

80% to Democrats · 2020: $201M

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

Labor unions

Union political funds and their members' money.

$86M

89% to Democrats · 2020: $138M

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

How Congress voted on 4 bills Labor unions cared about →

Real estate and construction

Developers, builders, realtors and building suppliers.

$83M

66% to Republicans · 2020: $78M

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.

$75M

95% to Republicans · 2020: $60M

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

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

Tobacco, alcohol and gambling

Cigarette makers, brewers, distillers and casinos.

$71M

92% to Republicans · 2020: $261M

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

Crypto

Exchanges, token issuers and the venture funds behind them.

$63M

65% to Democrats · 2020: $12M

Super PAC money · $63MWinner

13 donors · 84% on the winning side · 2020: 89%

Sam Bankman-Fried $33M, Ryan Salame $21M, Nishad Singh $5.8M, Sam Bankman-Fried $1.2M, Tyler Winklevoss $608K

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 →

Pharma and health care

Drug makers, insurers, hospitals and doctors.

$59M

68% to Democrats · 2020: $86M

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

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

Defense contractors

Weapons makers and aerospace.

$17M

78% to Republicans · 2020: $9.4M

Super PAC money · $11MLoser

12 donors · 11% on the winning side · 2020: 48%

Robert Bigelow $11M, Palmer Luckey $136K, James Reyes $47K, William Hafer $16K, James Hawley $14K

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

How Congress voted on 4 bills Defense contractors cared about →

Pro-Israel groups

AIPAC, its super PAC and allied groups.

$16M

50% to Republicans · 2020: $4.0M

Super PAC money · $12MMixed

4 donors · 63% on the winning side · 2020: 32%

AIPAC $11M, Republican Jewish Coalition $1.2M, Democratic Majority for Israel $650K, Philip Friedman $25K

PAC checks to candidates · $3.9M

6 PACs · 629 checks to winners, 81 to losers

American Israel Public Affairs Committee Political Action Committee $2.7M, Jstreetpac $303K, Republican Jewish Coalition-Political Action Committee (Rjc-PAC) $265K, Dmfi PAC $191K

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.

$13M

54% to Republicans · 2020: $15M

Super PAC money · $3.5MMixed

24 donors · 53% on the winning side · 2020: 63%

Richard Colburn $737K, Starr Insurance Holdings $500K, David Randolph Peeler $437K, Douglas Krupp $431K, Thomas Hagen $287K

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

How Congress voted on 1 bill Insurance cared about →

Gun lobby

The NRA and firearms makers.

$8.8M

100% to Republicans · 2020: $6.4M

Super PAC money · $7.8MLoser

2 donors · 34% on the winning side · 2020: 13%

Nra Institute for Legislative Action $5.0M, Gun Owners of America Inc $2.8M

PAC checks to candidates · $989K

3 PACs · 304 checks to winners, 44 to losers

National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund $631K, Safari Club International PAC (Sci-PAC) $211K, Gun Owners of America, Inc. Political Victory Fund $148K

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

How Congress voted on 5 bills Gun lobby cared about →