Chicagoans giving the most money in 2024 election
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Some ultra wealthy Chicagoans are among the top donors in the country this election cycle.
The big picture: The 50 biggest individual and corporate donors nationwide have contributed $1.5 billion collectively from January 2023 to Aug. 20, 2024, according to a Washington Post analysis, with the majority of the money going to super PACs which have no contribution limits.
- Four current or former Chicagoans and locally based companies are on the list.
Between the lines: The second highest donor on the list — Ken Griffin — no longer lives in Chicago, but the Federal Election Commission still lists a Chicago address for his donations. He's given more than $75 million to Republican PACs and campaigns.
Reality check: The Citadel founder and CEO moved the company's headquarters from Chicago to Miami in 2022, blaming his "arch nemesis" Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for the city's crime, according to WBEZ.
- Griffin hasn't contributed to an Illinois campaign since 2022, according to the state board of elections.
Zoom in: Uline, Inc. co-founders Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein have given more than $70 million to Republican PACs and campaigns, including $20 million to oppose the re-election of Sen. Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin, where Uline is based.
- The Uihleins list a Lake Forest address and this month Elizabeth contributed $6,900, the maximum amount an individual can give in Illinois elections, to Lake County State's Attorney Republican candidate Mary Cole.
Newsweb Corp. founder Fred Eychaner is one of the most reliable contributors to Democrats, donating more than $26 million to Senate and House races, as well as to Vice President Kamala Harris' run for president.
- The philanthropist also runs the nonprofit Alphawood Foundation and the Wrightwood 659 art space in Lincoln Park, and has contributed to LGBTQ+ causes.
Follow the money: Chicagoans who didn't make the top 50, but are big donors this cycle include philanthropist Shirley W. Ryan, whose largest donation since January 2023 is $2.5 million to a super PAC that supported Nikki Haley during the primary, according to the FEC.
- Craig Duchossois, former head of his family's investment firm, has given at least $7 million to super PACs fighting for Republican majorities in the U.S. Senate and House.
- Chicago-based Jump Crypto has given $15 million to a PAC that lists a goal of "providing blockchain innovators the ability to develop their networks under a clearer regulatory and legal framework."
- Amalgamated Bank has given $13 million to Democrats.
What's next: We still have more than two months before the election so more money is still in play.