Several of Donald Trump's Cabinet picks who face potentially tense upcoming hearings on Capitol Hill have donated hundreds of thousands to the senators who will vote on their confirmations.

Five of Trump's choices who will face Senate committees — secretary of State pick Rex Tillerson, Education secretary choice Betsy DeVos, Labor secretary pick Andy Puzder, Commerce secretary pick Wilbur Ross and Transportation secretary pick Elaine Chao — have contributed $449,559 combined to current senators' campaigns or outside groups supporting them, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. All but Chao, who is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, contributed to at least one senator elected in 2016.

Past Cabinet picks have also given to confirming senators, and the donations do not necessarily mean they will get preferential treatment. Still, they underscore the political connections of Trump's picks, whom experts say have more collective wealth than Cabinets typically have in the past.