Ken Griffin, the billionaire hedge-fund manager who’s made it clear that he doesn’t care much for J.D. Vance and would prefer to see the vice-president go back to Ohio come January 2029, has opened up his essentially limitless checkbook in the hopes of keeping Congress in Republican hands this fall and putting his stamp on the party beyond Donald Trump’s time in the White House.
The Citadel founder, who’s worth more than $50 billion and was the fifth-biggest political donor during the 2024 election cycle, has contributed some $40 million to midterm races, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The donations, which could “easily double by November,” have thus far included money for the Senate Leadership Fund ($10 million); groups supporting Maine senator Susan Collins ($2.5 million), Alaska senator Dan Sullivan ($2.5 million), and Iowa representative Ashley Hinson, who is running to replace Senator Joni Ernst; and the Congressional Leadership Fund ($5 million). Maine and Alaska are currently viewed as competitive races that could go either way; Iowa is also looking close, despite the fact that Trump won the state by 13 points in 2024. Democrats are thought to have a better shot at winning the House than the Senate, though as the Washington Post reported this week, the party’s “once long-shot chances to take over the Senate have improved as economic pressures sour voters’ outlook and President Donald Trump’s approval ratings drop in key Republican strongholds.”
