Tom Loftus

Louisville Courier Journal

The following represents my best effort at determining the TOP 50 DONORS to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s political committees and super PACs supporting McConnell political causes between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2015. A bullet reflects a big move up the list since my last update three months ago.

Robert McNair, Houston, electric power generation, owner of Houston Texans, $1,502,500

*Warren Stephens and Stephens Inc., Little Rock, investment banking, $1,251,300

*W. Ed Bosarge Jr. and Petrodome Energy, Houston, energy, $1,185,400

Paul Singer and Elliott Management, New York, hedge funds, $1,119,800

Bernard Marcus and Home Depot, Atlanta, retail stores, $1,066,200

*Chevron, Concord, California, energy, $1,058,800

*Access Industries, New York, natural resources, chemicals, media, real estate, $1,000,000

Stephen Schwarzman and Blackstone Group, New York, private equity, $881,225

*Devon Energy, Oklahoma City, oil and gas, $769,600

Lawrence F. DeGeorge, Jupiter, Fla., venture capital, LPL Investment Group, $505,200

*Michael Smith, Boulder, Colorado, Kaitar Resources, business consulting, $502,500

*Bruce Kovner, New York, Caxton Alternative Management, private investment firm, $500,000

John W. Childs, Boston and Vero Beach, J.W. Childs Associates, private equity, $495,200

Alliance Coal and president Joe Craft, Tulsa, Okla., coal mining, $436,350

NextEra Energy, Juno Beach, Fla., parent of Florida Power & Light, $383,000

Thomas and Paula McInerney, Westport, Conn., Bluff Point Associates, private equity, $350,400

David Jones Sr. and wife Betty, Louisville, retired Humana executive, $335,000

Murray Energy, St. Clairsville, Ohio, coal mining, $330,000

Churchill Downs, Louisville, horse racing, $329,400

John L. Nau III and Silver Eagle Distributors, Houston, beer distributor, $309,800

*Cliff Asness, New York, AQR Capital Management, investment management, $300,000

Philip H. Geier and Geier Group, New York, marketing, communications consulting, $210,000

Barbara R. Banke, Geyserville, Cal., chairman Jackson Family Wines, $205,200

North Cypress Medical Center, Cypress, Texas, physician-owned hospital, $183,450

Altria Group (Philip Morris USA) , Richmond, Va., tobacco, $178,608

Humana, Louisville, health insurance, $165,880

*Stephen Chazen and Occidental Petroleum, Los Angeles, energy, $160,000

Howard Cox, Boston, venture capital, $152,600

*Kindred Healthcare, Louisville, post-acute care services, $152,250

*Goldman Sachs, New York, financial services, $145,975

James Patterson, Louisville and West Palm Beach, Pattco Inc., investor, $137,600

Steven A. Webster, Houston, Avista Capital, private equity, $130,200

Brown-Forman, Louisville, alcoholic beverages, $129,000

*Zuffa LLC and Fertitta family, Las Vegas, sports promotion, casinos, $126,100

Super PAC for America, Tampa, PAC affiliated with political strategist Dick Morris, $125,000

General Electric, Fairfield, Conn., multi-national conglomerate, $121,825

JP Morgan Chase, New York, financial services, $121,575

Steven Chancellor and American Patriot Group, Evansville, food service, $120,400

Houchens Industries, Bowling Green, grocery stores, financial services, etc., $119,250

BNSF, Fort Worth, Texas, freight railroad, $115,700

Capital Group Companies, Los Angeles, investment management, $115,500

Sam Fox and family, St. Louis, chairman of Harbour Group, private equity, $112,800

Richard Baxter Gilliam and family, Keswick, Va., Cumberland Resources, coal, $110,400

Dian Stai and Mansefeldt Investment Corp., Abilene, Texas, $110,400

W. Heywood Fralin, Roanoke, Va., chairman Medical Facilities of America, $110,200

John Kaneb and wife Virginia, chairman and CEO HP Hood Inc., $110,000

Curtis W. Mewbourne and family, Tyler, Texas, Mewbourne Oil, oil and gas, $110,000

Russell L. Carson and Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe, New York, private equity, $107,700

Bradley M. Bloom, Wellesley Hills, Mass., Berkshire Partners, private equity, $105,200

Kenny Troutt, Dallas, founder of Excel Communications, $105,200

Note: This list represents my best effort to determine the largest contributors within $53.3 million in contributions to McConnell political committees between Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2015. Those committees are: McConnell’s committee for election to the U.S. Senate ($29.3 million); McConnell’s personal PAC called Bluegrass Committee ($4.4 million); an independent McConnell super PAC devoted to Kentucky elections called Kentuckians for Strong Leadership ($8 million); and an independent McConnell super PAC to support election of Republicans to the U.S. Senate in 2016 called Senate Leadership Fund ($11.6 million).

If the contributor listed above is the name of just a person, all of the money was contributed by that person. If a corporation is listed, the contribution total includes any contributions of officials of that corporation and their spouses, the corporation PAC, and the corporation itself.