(1)Open Secrets Political Action Committees (PACs)

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What is a PAC? A PAC is a political committee that raises and spends money to elect or defeat candidates. Most PACs represent businesses, such as the Microsoft PAC; labor unions, such as the Teamsters PAC; or ideological interests, such as the EMILY’s List PAC or the National Rifle Association PAC. An organization’s PAC will solicit money from the group’s employees or members and make contributions in the name of the PAC to candidates and political parties. Individuals contributing to a PAC may also contribute directly to candidates and political parties, even those also supported by the PAC. [Read More About the definition and history of PACs]

PAC Summary: Totals by Party and Recipient Type, 1990-2020

abcdefhiklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefhiklmnopqrstuvwxyz$0$80M$160M$240M$320M$400M’90’92’94’96’98’00’02’04’06’08’10’12’14’16’18’20Democratic CandidatesDemocratic PartyCommitteesRepublican CandidatesRepublican Party Committees

PAC Name	Total Amount
National Assn of Realtors	$3,577,695
National Beer Wholesalers Assn	$2,962,500
Credit Union National Assn	$2,734,300
American Crystal Sugar	$2,667,500
AT&T Inc	$2,648,000
Operating Engineers Union	$2,589,200
Comcast Corp	$2,571,000
American Bankers Assn	$2,563,200
Majority Cmte PAC	$2,480,100
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Union	$2,431,450
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn	$2,402,300
American Federation of Teachers	$2,300,250
National Auto Dealers Assn	$2,290,500
Blue Cross/Blue Shield	$2,286,400
American Federation of State/Cnty/Munic Employees	$2,263,000
Raytheon Technologies	$2,254,000
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers	$2,249,300
Honeywell International	$2,192,500
American Assn for Justice	$2,179,000
Laborers Union	$2,092,500

Based on data released by the Federal Election Commission on December 26, 2020.

NOTE: PACs with diversified interests are listed under their primary business (e.g., you’ll find Boeing under “aircraft manufacturers” rather than “defense aerospace”).

Also, for ease of identification, the names used in this section are those of the organization connected with the PAC, rather than the official PAC name. For example, the “Coca-Cola Company Nonpartisan Committee for Good Government” is simply listed as “Coca-Cola Co.”

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