The first 25 conservative donors to give $1 million or more to super-PACs this cycle, either on their own, with their families, or with companies that they or their families control. Others have likely given millions more to 501(c)(4)s, “social welfare” groups that are not required to disclose their donors. (Based on filings through February 29.)
Sheldon Adelson, casino developer, his wife, Miriam, and their family
$16.5 million: Gingrich
Harold Simmons, leveraged-buyout pioneer, his wife, Annette, and his holding company, Contran Corporation
$15.4 million: Crossroads, Perry, Gingrich, Santorum, Romney
Bob Perry, home developer
$6.6 million: Romney, Perry, Crossroads
Peter Thiel, venture capitalist
$2.73 million: Paul
Jerry Perenchio, entertainment executive, and his trust
$2.6 million: Crossroads, Romney, Huntsman
Jon Huntsman Sr., chemicals manufacturer
$2.2 million: Huntsman
Robert Rowling, hotel-and-fitness impresario, and his company, TRT Holdings Inc.
$2.1 million: Crossroads, Romney
Eli Publishing Inc. & F8 LLC, shell corporations registered to multilevel marketing executive Steven Lund and his son-in-law
$2 million: Romney
Foster Friess, mutual-fund manager
$1.75 million: Santorum, FreedomWorks
William Dore, energy executive
$1.5 million: Santorum
Philip Geier, marketing executive
$1.35 million: Crossroads, Romney
Julian Robertson, hedge-fund founder
$1.25 million: Romney
Robert Mercer, hedge-fund executive
$1.1 million: Romney, Club for Growth Action
Harlan Crow, and his family real-estate company, Crow Holdings
$1.05 million: Crossroads, Romney, FreedomWorks
Whiteco Industries, a hotel and outdoor-advertisting group, controlled by longtime GOP backer Dean White
$1.025 million: Crossroads, Campaign for Primary Accountability
Edward Conard, former Bain Capital managing director
$1 million: Romney
Paul Edgerley, Bain Capital managing director, and his wife, Sandra, a former Bain & Company executive
$1 million: Romney
Mike Fernandez, health-care-sector investor, and his investment group
$1 million: Romney
Virginia James, investor
$1 million: Club for Growth Action
William Koch, and his energy company, Oxbow Carbon
$1 million: Romney
Irving Moskowitz, bingo magnate
$1 million: Crossroads
John Paulson, hedge-fund founder
$1 million: Romney
Rooney Holdings, a family construction company controlled by Bush bundler L. Francis Rooney III
$1 million: Romney
Paul Singer, hedge-fund founder
$1 million: Romney
Melaleuca, a multilevel marketing company led by Romney finance co-chair Frank VanderSloot
$1 million: Romney
Super-PAC Key:
Romney = Restore Our Future
Santorum = Red White and Blue Fund, Leaders for Families Super PAC
Gingrich = Winning Our Future
Perry = Make Us Great Again, Restoring Prosperity Fund
Huntsman = Our Destiny PAC
Paul = Endorse Liberty, Revolution PAC
Crossroads = Karl Rove-affiliated American Crossroads
FreedomWorks = Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks for America