Republican megadonors are motivated by crypto and AI this midterm cycle. Among the top 10 donors for the 2026 midterm elections, eight are pushing for Republican control of Congress.Â
The top 40 donors gave over $2.5 billion by mid-October 2026, compared with a much smaller inflation-adjusted total of $197.5 million in 2014, the Brennan Center for Justice found. That year, the top donors favored Democrats.
Elon Musk, who Brennan reports did not previously appear in the top 40 midterm donors, broke the record this October for the largest individual political donor in U.S. history.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO distributed $446 million of his money toward America PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund and the Congressional Leadership Fund, according to a report by the Washington Post.Â
Throw me the money
Other standout donors from the top 10 include shipping magnates Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein, who donated $150 million, and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, who contributed $50 million to MAGA Inc. and an AI-related super PAC.Â
Investor and philanthropist George Soros took the No. 4 spot by giving $102 million to a liberal super PAC, and former mayor of New York Mike Bloomberg was at No. 6, pitching in $84.2 million to Democratic campaigns.Â
Donors this cycle have come from different industries than previous donors, highlighting a focus on crypto and AI, the Brennan Center for Justice found. Crypto makes up 14% of the top 40 donors, along with the finance industry.
Leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, the top 10 donors contributed a total of $505 million, WaPo reports.
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