Industries

Which industries bought 2024, 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

$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

Share of $2.32B 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.

$799M

78% to Republicans · 2022: $428M

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

Super PAC money · $342MMixed

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

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

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

Agriculture, food and retail

Farming, food companies, restaurants and big retail.

$236M

81% to Republicans · 2022: $140M

Super PAC money · $206MWinner

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

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

Super PAC money · $213MWinner

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.

How Congress voted on 6 bills Crypto cared about →

Tobacco, alcohol and gambling

Cigarette makers, brewers, distillers and casinos.

$197M

98% to Republicans · 2022: $71M

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

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

Super PAC money · $122MWinner

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

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

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.

$72M

75% to Democrats · 2022: $102M

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

Super PAC money · $26MMixed

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

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

Super PAC money · $18MWinner

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

Super PAC money · $4.3MMixed

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

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.

$9.3M

56% to Republicans · 2022: $17M

Super PAC money · $236KMixed

10 donors · 52% on the winning side · 2022: 11%

Palmer Luckey $91K, Patricia Marsland $24K, Diane Lung $23K, Brian Bacon $21K, Robert Freedman $19K

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

Super PAC money · $1.3MWinner

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.

How Congress voted on 5 bills Gun lobby cared about →