Trump donors' spending on midterms tops 2016 expenditures
Some of Donald Trump’s biggest financial backers during the 2016 presidential campaign are pouring tens of millions into competitive midterm elections across the country, outspending their own contributions from two years ago to ensure Republicans maintain control of Congress come November.
So far, less than a week away from the elections, Trump’s top 20 donors have spent $40.7 million on Republicans candidates, committees, PACs and other outside spending groups, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Here are some of the biggest contributions made by Trump’s 2016 financial base so far.
Bernard Marcus: In 2016, Marcus and his wife Billi spent $7 million on Trump’s 2016 campaign. So far in 2018, the duo have spent a record $7.9 million to outside money groups.
Robert Mercer: Although it pales compared to his 2016 donation ($15.5 million), Mercer -- the former co-CEO of the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies who’s perhaps best known for the role he played with conservative website Breitbart News -- has poured $6.5 million on the 2018 midterms.
Ronald Cameron: The CEO of Mountaire Farms, a poultry company, donated a total of $2 million during the presidential election, compared to the $6.5 million he’s spent on the midterm elections -- most of it on outside groups.
Andrew Beal: A Dallas banker, Beal has poured more than $6 million into outside spending groups in 2018. In 2016, he only spent $2.1 million on the Trump campaign.
Peter Thiel: The co-founder of PayPal and a staunch conservative, Thiel has given $1.3 million during this election cycle, compared to the $1 million he gave on behalf of Trump two years ago.