Richard Uihlein's Contributions (2010-2024)
└── Total: $254.29M
├── Restoration PAC: $150M
├── People Who Play By The Rules: $42M
├── Americas PAC: $30M
├── Club for Growth: $16M
├── Tea Party Patriots: $4.29M
├── Fair Courts America: $4M
├── Illinois Policy Institute: $2.6M
├── Turning Point USA: $2.2M
├── Conservative Partnership Institute: $2.2M
└── Foundation for Govt Accountability: $1.2M
Richard Uihlein, a billionaire businessman and co-founder of Uline Corporation, has been a significant donor to conservative political organizations, candidates, and causes, particularly since the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision, which loosened campaign finance restrictions. Below is a detailed mapping of his contributions based on available data, focusing on key organizations, political action committees (PACs), and candidates he has supported, organized by election cycle and thematic priorities. All figures are drawn from credible sources such as OpenSecrets, news reports, and other public records, with an emphasis on his role as a major Republican megadonor. Note that some amounts may overlap across sources due to differing reporting periods or categorizations.
Profile: Richard "Dick" Uihlein, alongside his wife Elizabeth "Liz" Uihlein, has emerged as one of the most influential conservative donors in the U.S. His wealth, derived from Uline and inherited from the Schlitz Brewing fortune, has fueled contributions totaling over $250 million to federal candidates and groups since 2016, with Richard personally accounting for over $233 million of that amount.
Ideology: Uihlein is a staunch social and economic conservative, with priorities including anti-union policies, lower taxes, deregulation, opposition to abortion, opposition to gay and transgender rights, and support for election denialism.
Philanthropic Vehicle: Through the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, named after his father, Richard channels significant funds to conservative organizations, with $17.7 million donated in 2020 alone.
Pre-2010 Contributions
Early Involvement: Uihlein began donating to Republican campaigns in the 1990s, averaging $15,000 annually until 2009.
1996: Supported far-right candidates Pat Buchanan and Alan Keyes in the Republican presidential primaries, reflecting his early alignment with anti-establishment conservatism.
Influences: His father, Edgar Uihlein, was a prominent conservative donor in the 1960s and 1970s, supporting the John Birch Society and segregationist George Wallace’s 1968 presidential campaign. Richard credits his father for shaping his views on capitalism and opposition to socialism.
2010 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: $319,000, making the Uihleins the 34th largest Republican donors.
Notable Support:
Supported conservative candidates and causes, with a focus on anti-establishment figures, though specific recipients are less detailed for this cycle.
Contributions increased post-Citizens United, enabling larger donations to outside spending groups.
2012 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: $1.855 million to conservative outside spending groups, ranking Uihlein as the 34th largest contributor to such groups.
Ed Uihlein Family Foundation: Donated $2.6 million to the Illinois Policy Institute (2012–2014), a free-market think tank focused on Illinois policy issues.
2014 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: At least $5 million, primarily to right-wing PACs.
Key Recipients:
Liberty Principles PAC: $1.8 million, supporting conservative candidates in Illinois.
Americas PAC: $670,000, focused on conservative messaging.
Senate Conservatives Fund (and affiliated super PAC): ~$500,000, backing conservative Senate candidates like Jim DeMint.
Illinois Policy Institute: Continued support via the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation.
Bruce Rauner (Illinois Governor): $2.6 million directly to his 2014 gubernatorial campaign, plus $350,000 to a Rauner-allied group promoting term limits.
Other: Supported candidates like Ted Cruz, Roy Moore, The Club for Growth, and Scott Walker.
2016 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: $22 million to federal candidates and groups; $19.4 million to conservative outside spending groups.
Key Recipients:
Restoration PAC: $4.73 million, a super PAC opposing "Leftists and the woke agenda" and promoting traditional marriage.
Club for Growth Action: Significant donations to this super PAC advocating lower taxes and reduced government spending.
Scott Walker (Presidential Campaign): Millions in support for his short-lived 2016 bid, with both Richard and Liz Uihlein backing him.
Ted Cruz (Presidential Primary): Initial support before shifting to Donald Trump after Cruz dropped out.
Great America PAC (pro-Trump): $500,000 to Trump’s inauguration and additional support for this pro-Trump super PAC.
Foundation for Government Accountability: $1.2 million via the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation to promote policies reducing government dependence.
Brian Timpone’s Media Network: $646,000 (2016–2018) to a network of local newspapers and websites accused of spreading distorted conservative narratives.
Other Organizations (via Ed Uihlein Family Foundation):
American Enterprise Institute: $100,000
Americans for Prosperity: $125,000
Institute for Free Speech: $150,000
Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute: $100,000
Intercollegiate Studies Institute: $150,000
Media Research Center: $275,000
Leadership Institute: $200,000
Philanthropy Roundtable: $125,000
2018 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: $37.7 million to outside spending groups (fourth largest donor); $28.4 million to conservative/Republican groups per the Center for Responsive Politics.
Key Recipients:
Restoration PAC: $4.2 million, continuing support for conservative causes.
Americas PAC: $3.7 million, funding conservative messaging.
Fair Courts America PAC: $4 million, supporting judicial candidates aligned with conservative values.
Club for Growth PAC: Significant contributions, part of $16 million donated in 2023–2024.
Kevin Nicholson (Wisconsin Senate): $3.5 million to Solutions for Wisconsin (super PAC) and $7 million total via eight Uihlein-funded super PACs.
Jeanne Ives (Illinois Governor): $2.5 million in a single week after a fallout with Bruce Rauner over abortion policy, aiming to challenge the GOP establishment.
Roy Moore (Alabama Senate): $100,000 to Proven Conservative PAC ($50,000 before and $50,000 after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced).
Chris McDaniel (Mississippi Senate): $750,000, supporting a campaign emphasizing Confederate symbols.
Other: Supported over 60 congressional candidates, often anti-establishment figures opposing transgender rights and abortion.
2020 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: $75 million to federal candidates and PACs; $3.3 million to pro-Trump super PAC America First Action.
Key Recipients:
Restoration PAC: Continued major funding, with $30 million combined with Americas PAC to support Trump’s reelection.
Tea Party Patriots: $4.29 million since 2016, with Uihlein as the top donor in 2020. The group was linked to the Stop the Steal rally preceding the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Turning Point USA: $2.2 million via the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation ($1 million in 2020, $250,000 in 2021), with Turning Point Action sponsoring the January 6 rally.
Conservative Partnership Institute: $1.2 million, employing a lawyer involved in Trump’s election lawsuits.
Roy Moore (Alabama Senate): Continued support for his unsuccessful campaign.
Election Denialism: Donated nearly $63 million to candidates and PACs rejecting the 2020 presidential election results, including over three dozen U.S. Senate and House candidates.
2022 Election Cycle
Total Contributions: $82 million, making Richard the top conservative donor; $60 million to federal candidates and PACs, plus $83.8 million to state and local candidates since 2022.
Key Recipients:
Darren Bailey (Illinois Governor): $50 million, including direct contributions and $42 million to People Who Play By The Rules PAC, which ran ads supporting Bailey and opposing Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Restoration PAC: Major funding, part of a network led by Doug Truax in Downers Grove, IL, receiving over $150 million from Uihlein since 2015.
Club for Growth PAC: Continued support, with $16 million donated in 2023–2024.
Josh Mandel (Ohio Senate): Supported this far-right candidate, contrasting with Liz Uihlein’s support for establishment candidates.
Election Denialism: Funded groups like the Conservative Partnership Institute ($1 million in 2021) and continued support for Turning Point USA and Tea Party Patriots, tied to January 6 activities.
2024 Election Cycle (as of October 2024)
Total Contributions: Over $61 million to candidates and committees, including $20 million in the first six months.
Key Recipients:
Make America Great Again Super PAC: $10 million (combined with Liz Uihlein) to support Trump’s reelection.
Restoration PAC and Fair Courts America: Nearly $20 million to these Downers Grove-based super PACs linked to Doug Truax, pushing far-right agendas and election denialism.
Club for Growth PAC: $16 million, continuing support for free-market policies.
Protect Our Constitution (Ohio): $4 million to a group supporting Issue 1, aimed at thwarting a constitutional amendment on abortion.
Other: Supported the Republican National Committee indirectly through Liz Uihlein’s $826,000 contribution.
Uihlein’s contributions align with specific conservative priorities, often through super PACs, dark money groups, and his family foundation:
Anti-Abortion:
Women Speak Out PAC: Richard is a major donor, supporting a federal abortion ban.
Protect Our Constitution (Ohio): $4 million to oppose an abortion-related constitutional amendment.
Opposition to Gay and Transgender Rights:
Restoration PAC: Promotes "traditional marriage" (one man, one woman for life).
Illinois School Board District 211: Funded opposition to transgender students accessing girls’ locker rooms.
Jeanne Ives (Illinois): Supported her 2018 campaign, which included an ad with a controversial depiction of a transgender woman.
Election Denialism and January 6 Connections:
Tea Party Patriots: $4.29 million since 2016, linked to the Stop the Steal rally.
Turning Point USA/Action: $2.2 million, with Turning Point Action sponsoring the January 6 rally.
Conservative Partnership Institute: $2.2 million, including $1 million post-January 6, supporting Trump’s election lawsuits.
Eagle Forum: $3,500 annually, tied to the Phyllis Schlafly Eagles, a January 6 rally sponsor.
Metric Media Network: Funded via PACs like People Who Play By The Rules, linked to misinformation and election denialism.
Free-Market and Anti-Union Policies:
Club for Growth Action/PAC: Major donor, with $16 million in 2023–2024, advocating lower taxes and deregulation.
Illinois Policy Institute: $2.6 million (2012–2014) for free-market policy advocacy.
Liberty Justice Center: Supported litigation like Janus v. AFSCME to undermine public sector unions.
Foundation for Government Accountability: $1.2 million to promote policies reducing government dependence.
Legal and Judicial Conservatism:
Federalist Society: Significant donations via the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation for conservative judicial advocacy.
Judicial Education Network, National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund, Judicial Watch: Supported conservative legal efforts.
Media and Messaging:
Brian Timpone’s Network: $646,000 (2016–2018) to a network of local news outlets accused of spreading distorted conservative narratives.
Media Research Center: $275,000 for conservative media monitoring.
Ted Cruz: Supported in the 2016 presidential primaries.
Scott Walker: Backed his 2015 presidential bid and Wisconsin gubernatorial campaigns.
Roy Moore: $100,000 to his Alabama Senate campaign, including after misconduct allegations.
Kevin Nicholson: $3.5 million (direct) and $7 million (via super PACs) for his 2018 Wisconsin Senate bid.
Jeanne Ives: $2.5 million for her 2018 Illinois gubernatorial primary challenge.
Chris McDaniel: $750,000 for his 2018 Mississippi Senate campaign.
Darren Bailey: $50 million for his 2022 Illinois gubernatorial campaign.
Josh Mandel: Supported in the 2022 Ohio Senate primary.
Donald Trump: $10 million to the Make America Great Again Super PAC (2024), $3.3 million to America First Action (2020), and $500,000 to Trump’s inauguration.
Ideological Split: Richard focuses on ideological, anti-establishment candidates (e.g., Roy Moore, Darren Bailey), while Liz supports GOP establishment groups like the Republican National Committee ($826,000 in 2024) and candidates like Rebecca Kleefisch and Jane Timken.
Examples:
2022 Wisconsin Governor Race: Liz backed Rebecca Kleefisch, while Richard supported Kevin Nicholson.
2022 Ohio Senate Race: Richard funded Josh Mandel, while Liz supported Jane Timken.
RNC Leadership: Liz endorsed Ronna McDaniel, while Richard backed Harmeet Dhillon.
Election Denialism: Uihlein’s $63 million to groups and candidates rejecting the 2020 election results, including post-January 6 donations, has drawn criticism for fueling anti-democratic narratives.
Misinformation: Funding for Brian Timpone’s Metric Media Network and PACs like People Who Play By The Rules has been linked to misleading local news and election-related disinformation.
Social Issues: Support for anti-abortion and anti-transgender causes, including controversial campaigns like Jeanne Ives’ ad, has sparked backlash.
GOP Fracture: Critics argue Uihlein’s focus on far-right candidates risks fracturing the Republican Party, as seen in his support for Ives against Rauner.
Primary Sources: OpenSecrets, Chicago Sun-Times, Politico, New York Times, Wikipedia, InfluenceWatch, ProPublica, Forbes, and posts on X (used cautiously for sentiment, not facts).web:0-24post:0-7
Limitations: Some contribution totals may vary slightly due to differing reporting periods or categorizations (e.g., federal vs. state, direct vs. PAC contributions). X posts are treated as inconclusive and used only for context.post:0-7
Verification: All figures are cross-referenced with FEC data or reputable news outlets where possible. If you need specific donation amounts or recipients for a particular year or organization, I can dig deeper with targeted searches.