Congressional leaders consistently pulled in millions of dollars from donors in 2021, campaign finance disclosures show. Their campaigns and leadership PACs took in over $90 million during 2021. Political committees aligned with House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who recently confirmed she’d run for reelection, raised the most among party leaders in Congress.
Pelosi’s campaign drew about $12 million in 2021. In the final quarter of 2021, Pelosi’s campaign raised $2.9 million. The congresswoman’s leadership PAC raised $2.2 million in the latest quarter, and $8.3 million in total for 2021.
Leadership PACs are established by candidates or elected officials, but are used to support other candidates for government positions, rather than the candidate financing the committee.
House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) secured $3.8 million for his campaign in the final quarter of 2021 and $12.8 million throughout the year for his candidate campaign.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) raised $4.1 million in the final quarter of 2021, and over $30.7 million in 2021. Schumer’s leadership PAC took in about $733,000 from donors in 2021.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) raised about $666,000 in the final quarter of 2021. His campaign brought in about $4.2 million over the full year, though he is not up for reelection until 2026. McConnell’s Bluegrass Committee leadership PAC brought in about $495,000, for a total of $839,500 in 2021.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Senate’s president pro tempore, announced he wouldn’t run for a ninth term in November 2021, but his leadership PAC and campaign raised $107,000 and $20,841 respectively in the final quarter of 2021. In total, Leahy’s campaign raised $816,000 for the year, and his leadership PAC raised around $339,000.
House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Mass.) raised about $447,400 in the last quarter, bringing in $1.8 million in total for 2021. Hoyer’s leadership PAC brought in $2.6 million.
House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) brought in about $524,000 in the final quarter of 2021, finishing the year with a $1.7 million fundraising haul over the course of 2021. Clyburn’s leadership PAC raised around $665,000 for the year.
House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) proved himself a fundraising juggernaut rivaling McCarthy and Pelosi, raising $2.6 million in the final quarter of 2021 and $10.1 million for the year. The congressman’s leadership fund, The Eye of the Tiger PAC, raised $1.9 million.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) ended 2021 with about $509,000 raised by his campaign. Durbin’s leadership PAC, Prairie PAC, raised $736,000 during the year.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) raised $2.5 million through his campaign in 2021 with about $502,000 in the final quarter of 2021. Thune’s leadership PAC raked in around $605,000 over the entire year.
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