In the lead-up to the 2022 Senate race, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, known for his dual appeal as someone from the rust belt and also excelling in elite circles, received donations from some of the richest donors in the country. These donors included stalwart Republican megadonors as well as Silicon Valley billionaires. While some donors, like hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, have yet to throw their weight behind the Republican ticket, others, like real estate developer Richard Kurtz, have praised Vance as a “perfect” pick for vice president and recommended him to Trump.
Among Vance’s top donors was tech billionaire Peter Thiel, who gave over $15 million to support Vance in 2022. Thiel, a PayPal co-founder and Facebook investor, played a significant role in Vance’s career, and his support could potentially sway Vance’s former boss to reconsider his stance on politics in the future. Additionally, Elizabeth Uihlein, a consistent Republican donor who has supported Vance in the past, contributed $250,000 to his groups.
Other notable donors to Vance’s campaign included Jimmy Haslam, Anthony Wood, and Palmer Luckey, all of whom have shown support for various Republican candidates in the past. While some, like Wood, have not supported Trump in the past, they may be more inclined to do so now that Vance is on the ticket. Steve Wynn, the former CEO of Wynn Resorts, and his wife Andrea also contributed to Vance’s campaign, showing their commitment to the Trump-Vance ticket by donating over $800,000 to a pro-Trump committee.
Despite the wealth and influence of these donors, not all of them have fully thrown their support behind Trump’s reelection bid. Donors like Richard Kurtz, who have previously supported candidates from both parties, have more recently shifted their focus to backing Republicans and are now openly supporting the Trump-Vance ticket. Meanwhile, donors like Diane Hendricks, a billionaire businesswoman who has donated millions to Trump’s campaign, have also shown support for Vance but have yet to fully commit to the Republican ticket in 2024.
Overall, the support of these wealthy donors has played a significant role in Vance’s campaign for the Senate in 2022. Their contributions have helped bolster his fundraising efforts and have demonstrated a growing support within the Republican donor base for the Trump-Vance ticket. As the race continues to unfold, it will be interesting to see how these donors’ involvement shapes the outcome of the election and the future of the Republican Party.
