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Report: Corporate Political Spending Hits Record $646M in 2026
Crypto, online betting and AI companies accounted for more than half of the total, Public Citizen said, as corporate money surged into super PACs.
- Public Citizen reported yesterday that companies donated a record $646 million to U.S. political campaigns in the 18 months through June, 40% more than the entire 2024 presidential election cycle.
- Since the Supreme Court lifted donation restrictions in 2010, companies have donated $1.7 billion to U.S. elections total, with approximately one-third arriving during this current cycle.
- Crypto, online betting, and AI industries accounted for $344 million in donations, while Koch Inc. gave $20 million to Prosperity Action and the Winklevoss brothers contributed $10 million via Gemini Trust.
- Rick Claypool, a research director at Public Citizen, called the spending a "flashing warning sign" for democracy, while Tom Garrett of the Institute for Free Speech defended donations as "part and parcel to a system that fully embraces free speech."
- Reported totals likely understate actual corporate influence because data excludes dark money groups and state races, with figures expected to rise as the race for House and Senate control intensifies through November.
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Corporate political donations shatter record at $646M
Companies donated a record $646 million to U.S. political campaigns in the 18 months through June, 40% more than the total spent during the entire 2024 presidential election cycle, according to new data from watchdog group Public Citizen.
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Corporate Political Spending Hits Record $646 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Corporate entities poured a record $646 million into federal political activity during the 18 months through June, according to Public Citizen, with crypto, online betting and artificial intelligence interests accounting for more than half of the total as control of Congress remains at stake.
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Total News Sources34
Leaning Left5Leaning Right8Center19Last UpdatedBias Distribution59% Center
Bias Distribution
- 59% of the sources are Center
59% Center
L 16%
C 59%
R 25%
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