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
2% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side
Best bet
Telecom and media
79% of its super PAC money ended on the winning side
14 industries
Wall Street and hedge funds
Hedge funds, private equity, banks and investors.
$350M
79% to Republicans · 2024: $799M
753 donors · 22% on the winning side · 2024: 69%
Jeff Yass $55M, Paul Singer $32M, Ken Griffin $30M, Stephen Schwarzman $28M, Timothy Mellon $21M
PAC checks to candidates · $21M
51 PACs · 558 checks to winners, 143 to losers
America's Credit Unions PAC $1.7M, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Political Action Committee $1.6M, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Comm $1.2M, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. Political Action Committee (Insurpac) $1.1M
How Congress voted on 4 bills Wall Street and hedge funds cared about →
Crypto
Exchanges, token issuers and the venture funds behind them.
$241M
88% to Republicans · 2024: $213M
43 donors · 5% on the winning side · 2024: 72%
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.
Tech and AI
Big Tech, AI labs, their founders and venture capital.
$140M
71% to Republicans · 2024: $349M
126 donors · 24% on the winning side · 2024: 63%
Elon Musk $75M, Reid Hoffman $21M, Greg Brockman $13M, Connie Ballmer $6.1M, Reed Hastings $2.5M
PAC checks to candidates · $9.2M
20 PACs · 218 checks to winners, 59 to losers
Honeywell International Inc. Technologies Public Affairs Council (Honpac) $1.6M, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC $1.2M, National Multifamily Housing Council and Real Estate Technology and Transformation Center Political Action Committee (Nmhc PAC) $1.2M, Amazon.Com Services LLC Separate Segregated Fund (Amazon PAC) $782K
Agriculture, food and retail
Farming, food companies, restaurants and big retail.
$137M
86% to Republicans · 2024: $236M
120 donors · 45% on the winning side · 2024: 70%
Richard Uihlein $59M, JB Pritzker $11M, Jim Walton $9.7M, Ronald Cameron $7.7M, Rob Walton $7.1M
PAC checks to candidates · $23M
60 PACs · 709 checks to winners, 222 to losers
American Crystal Sugar Company Political Action Committee $2.0M, The Home Depot Inc. Political Action Committee $1.5M, Walmart Inc. PAC for Responsible Government $1.1M, The Farm Credit Council Political Action Committee $922K
How Congress voted on 2 bills Agriculture, food and retail cared about →
Tobacco, alcohol and gambling
Cigarette makers, brewers, distillers and casinos.
$126M
97% to Republicans · 2024: $197M
34 donors · 2% on the winning side · 2024: 86%
Miriam Adelson $66M, RAI Services (Reynolds American tobacco) $14M, J Christopher Reyes $10M, Altria Client Services LLC $9.6M, M Jude Reyes $8.9M
PAC checks to candidates · $3.8M
5 PACs · 103 checks to winners, 26 to losers
National Beer Wholesalers Association Political Action Committee $1.9M, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc. Political Action Committee $812K, Altria Group, Inc. Political Action Committee (Altriapac) $626K, Reynolds American Inc. Political Action Committee; Rai PAC $216K
Oil, gas and coal
Producers, pipelines, refiners and the Koch network.
$115M
98% to Republicans · 2024: $131M
52 donors · 9% 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
PAC checks to candidates · $6.6M
22 PACs · 165 checks to winners, 97 to losers
Koch, Inc. Political Action Committee (Kochpac) $1.1M, Chevron Employees Political Action Committee - Chevron Corporation $840K, Constellation Energy Corporation Employee Political Action Committee (Cepac) $541K, Valero Energy Corporation Political Action Committee $473K
How Congress voted on 8 bills Oil, gas and coal cared about →
Real estate and construction
Developers, builders, realtors and building suppliers.
$71M
74% to Republicans · 2024: $132M
265 donors · 13% on the winning side · 2024: 75%
Diane Hendricks $26M, George Marcus $4.4M, National Association of Realtors $3.8M, Hillwood Development Company LLC $2.5M, United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC $2.0M
PAC checks to candidates · $10M
14 PACs · 223 checks to winners, 65 to losers
National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee $2.4M, Build Political Action Committee of the National Association of Home Builders (Buildpac) $1.5M, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. Political Action Committee (Abc PAC) $1.2M, National Apartment Association Political Action Committee $1000K
How Congress voted on 1 bill Real estate and construction cared about →
Pharma and health care
Drug makers, insurers, hospitals and doctors.
$59M
72% to Republicans · 2024: $54M
260 donors · 12% on the winning side · 2024: 48%
United Healthcare Services Inc $5.0M, Benjamin Landa $5.0M, Frederick Eansor Cooper $3.0M, National Community Pharmacist Association $2.0M, Karla Jurvetson $1.4M
PAC checks to candidates · $23M
70 PACs · 789 checks to winners, 244 to losers
American Hospital Association PAC $1.2M, Elevance Health, Inc. Political Action Committee (Elevance Health PAC) $972K, American Society of Anesthesiologists Political Action Committee (Asa PAC) $949K, National Emergency Medicine Political Action Committee / American College of Emergency Physicians $756K
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
53 donors · 95% on the winning side · 2024: 25%
National Nurses United $2.7M, Aft Solidarity 527 $1.6M, Ibew PAC Educational Fund $1.4M, American Federation of Teachers Cope State & Local Education Fund $1.3M, Afscme Working Families Fund $1.1M
PAC checks to candidates · $36M
57 PACs · 997 checks to winners, 132 to losers
Machinists Non Partisan Political League of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers $2.2M, American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees P E O P L E $2.0M, Air Line Pilots Association PAC $1.5M, Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners $1.4M
Telecom and media
Carriers, cable, studios and broadcasters.
$44M
75% to Democrats · 2024: $72M
62 donors · 79% on the winning side · 2024: 36%
Michael Bloomberg $18M, Fred Eychaner $5.2M, Amos Hostetter $4.0M, K Rupert Murdoch $2.0M, John Malone $1.5M
PAC checks to candidates · $7.6M
16 PACs · 239 checks to winners, 54 to losers
Charter Communications Inc. Political Action Committee $1.2M, At&T Inc. Employee Federal Political Action Committee (At&T Employee Federal PAC) $838K, Verizon Communications, Inc. Political Action Committee (Verizon PAC) $811K, Comcast Corporation & Nbcuniversal Political Action Committee - Federal $773K
Pro-Israel groups
AIPAC, its super PAC and allied groups.
$36M
50% to Republicans · 2024: $25M
5 donors · 42% on the winning side · 2024: 90%
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 · 61 checks to winners, 26 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
How Congress voted on 7 bills Pro-Israel groups cared about →
Insurance
Insurers and their agents.
$12M
52% to Republicans · 2024: $14M
35 donors · 56% on the winning side · 2024: 54%
David Randolph Peeler $1.4M, Daniel Amos $354K, David Sterling $255K, George Krupp $243K, Richard Colburn $144K
PAC checks to candidates · $8.5M
27 PACs · 251 checks to winners, 72 to losers
New York Life Insurance Company Political Action Committee $1.2M, Aflac Political Action Committee (Aflac PAC) $1.0M, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies PAC $543K, Teachers Insurance Annuity Association of America PAC (Tiaa PAC) $475K
Defense contractors
Weapons makers and aerospace.
$8.8M
57% to Republicans · 2024: $9.3M
6 donors · 18% on the winning side · 2024: 45%
Brian Schimpf $177K, Xp Aerospace $50K, Palmer Luckey $25K, William Budmats $20K, Patricia Marsland $13K
PAC checks to candidates · $8.6M
11 PACs · 227 checks to winners, 52 to losers
The Boeing Company PAC $1.4M, Employees of Northrop Grumman Corporation PAC $1.3M, General Dynamics Corporation Political Action Committee (General Dynamics Employee PAC) $1.1M, Lockheed Martin Corporation Employees' Political Action Committee $1.1M
How Congress voted on 4 bills Defense contractors cared about →
Gun lobby
The NRA and firearms makers.
$760K
100% to Republicans · 2024: $2.2M
1 donors · nothing decided yet · 2024: 88%
Randy Kozuch $25K
PAC checks to candidates · $735K
2 PACs · 23 checks to winners, 12 to losers
National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund $467K, Safari Club International PAC (Sci-PAC) $268K