Largest Political Donation in History: How Did These Names Spend $734 Million?

The total donations from the top 10 billionaire donors to the U.S. congressional midterm election race have surpassed $734 million so far, according to federal election records and data collected by The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Largest Individual Donor: Andreessen with $115.3 Million

Investor and entrepreneur Marc Andreessen leads the list of major donors, having contributed a total of $115.3 million through himself, his partner Ben Horowitz, and their venture capital fund Andreessen Horowitz during this election cycle. Andreessen personally donated $42.2 million, with significant portions directed toward political committees supporting the cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence sectors, as well as the MAGA Inc. committee backing former President Donald Trump.

Soros and His Family: $104 Million for Democrats

On the Democratic side, the family of George Soros and Alex Soros stand out as one of the most prominent funding sources, contributing approximately $104 million to major political committees supporting Democrats. Direct contributions from George Soros to Democratic candidates and the Democratic Senate campaign committee totaled less than $1 million.

Yas and Musk: $93.8 and $90.5 Million for Republicans

Billionaire Jeff Yas has already spent $93.8 million in the midterm elections, including about $20 million allocated to support the campaign of Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor of Ohio through a political committee. Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, has spent $90.5 million, with the majority funneled into his own committee, America PAC, which has been authorized to spend up to $120 million on races in the U.S. Senate and House in swing states this year.

O’Halleran and Adelson: Sustained Support for the Republican Party

Richard and Elizabeth O’Halleran collectively donated nearly $70 million to major Republican-aligned political committees, continuing their prominent financial role in funding the party for years. Meanwhile, Miriam Adelson, widow of the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, spent $67.6 million during this election cycle—$25 million to the MAGA Inc. committee and about $40 million to support Republican candidates in both the House and Senate.

Larson and the Winklevoss Twins: Strong Crypto Funding

Chris Larson, co-founder of Ripple Labs, appears among the top donors, with his personal contributions and company donations totaling $65.7 million. Larson personally gave $15.2 million, while company contributions primarily went to the Fairshake committee supporting cryptocurrency-friendly candidates, whereas his personal donations focused on clean energy issues and Democratic candidates. The twin founders of the cryptocurrency platform Gemini, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, collectively contributed $42.7 million—$16.1 million each personally, plus additional contributions from Winklevoss Capital.

Singer and Griffin: Political Funding Through Hedge Funds

Hedge fund manager Paul Singer donated $52.5 million, including $15 million to a new political committee named STW PAC, which appears almost entirely funded by Singer and has not yet spent money on midterm races as of the data collection date. Meanwhile, billionaire Ken Griffin, founder of hedge fund Citadel, contributed $32.2 million to political committees supporting Republican candidates, despite his past criticisms of the Trump administration.

Billionaire-Owned Companies Enter the Political Race

The list includes not only individuals but also companies controlled by billionaires, which are playing an increasingly important role in political financing. Greg Brockman, CEO of OpenAI, and his wife Anna appear among the top 20 donors after collectively contributing nearly $50 million to MAGA Inc. and a political committee supporting artificial intelligence, though Forbes does not currently classify Brockman as a billionaire. Additionally, Koch Inc. contributed $35 million during this election cycle, while Charles Koch’s personal contributions to the company’s political committee did not exceed $17,000.