Wealthy businessman Timothy Mellon and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote massive eight-figure checks in July to support major Republican and Democratic super PACs, respectively, in preparation for the 2024 elections.
Mellon, who in May donated $50 million to Make America Great Again Inc., the super PAC backing former President Donald Trump’s presidential bid, matched that last month with another $50 million to the group. Mellon, who previously gave millions to a super PAC backing independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has now donated more than $150 million to political organizations this cycle.
It is one of the largest political contributions made public by one person in a single election cycle.
Mellon’s donation made up the vast majority of the $54 million MAGA Inc. raised in July, according to new reports filed Tuesday night with the Federal Election Commission. The group spent $44 million last month, much of it on television ads, as Republicans continue to ramp up spending in the presidential race. The super PAC ended July with $124 million in the bank.
The Democratic rival, FF PAC, has supported President Joe Biden’s campaign this cycle and is now backing Vice President Kamala Harris, the party’s new standard-bearer. It raised nearly $30 million last month, spent $27 million (also mostly on ads) and ended the month with nearly the same amount of cash in the bank as MAGA Inc., $124 million.
After giving FF PAC a $20 million donation in May, Bloomberg invested his fortune in House elections last month.
Bloomberg donated $10 million to House Majority PAC last month, his first donation this campaign to the group, the main Democratic super PAC involved in House elections.
“House Majority PAC is deeply grateful for Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s longstanding and continued support in our efforts to win back the House,” House Majority PAC Chairman Mike Smith said in a statement to NBC News. “With American freedoms at stake, Mayor Bloomberg’s dedication to Democratic ideals will fuel our work to advance a pro-working-families agenda across America and elect Speaker Hakeem Jeffries next year.”
Bloomberg’s donation was dated just days after Biden’s disastrous debate, when donors were looking to target lower-tier ballot boxes amid concerns about Biden’s viability. But large donations often take time to accumulate, and it’s unclear whether the debate had anything to do with the donation.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
