List of richest American politicians

This list of richest American politicians includes current and former office-holders and political appointees, and is not necessarily adjusted for inflation. Estimated wealth is at least $100 million in 2012 dollars, for all the people listed here. The amounts listed here do not necessarily pertain to the politicians' time in office (i.e. some of them may have gotten much richer later on, or lost their money before they ran for office).

Presidents

[edit]
Main article: List of presidents of the United States by net worth
Name Party Date(s) Estimated wealth
adjusted for inflation 		Source of wealth
Donald Trump Republican 2017–2021 $7.5 billion (2024)[1] Inheritance, business, real estate, reality TV personality
George Washington Independent 1789–1797 $525 million (2010)[2] Inheritance, business, marriage
Thomas Jefferson Democratic-Republican 1801–1809 $212 million (2010)[2] Inheritance, business
Theodore Roosevelt Republican 1901–1909 $125 million (2010)[2] Inheritance
John F. Kennedy Democratic 1961–1963 $124 million (2007)[3] Inheritance
Andrew Jackson Democratic 1829–1837 $119 million (2010)[2] Marriage, business, real estate
James Madison Democratic-Republican 1809–1817 $101 million (2010)[2] Inheritance, business

Unsuccessful presidential candidates

[edit]
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Name Party Position Estimated wealth
not adjusted for inflation 		Notes
Doug Burgum Republican Governor of North Dakota (2017–incumbent)
Candidate for U.S. President (2024) 		$1.1 billion[4] Founded and Sold Great Plains Software to Microsoft
Vivek Ramaswamy Republican Candidate for U.S. President (2024) $1 billion[5] Founder and CEO of Roivant Sciences and Strive Asset Management[6]
Michael Bloomberg Democratic (before 2001, 2018–present)
Independent (2007–2018)
Republican (2001–2007) 		Mayor of New York City (2002–2013)
Candidate for U.S. President (2020) 		$106 billion[7] Founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P.
Ross Perot Independent (before 1995)
Reform (1995–2000)
Republican (2000–2019) 		Member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board (1981–85)
Member of the Select Committee on Public Education (1983)
Candidate for U.S. President (1992, 1996) 		$4.1 billion[8] Founded Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems
Tom Steyer Democratic Candidate for U.S. President (2020) $1.6 billion[9] Founder of Farallon Capital
Henry Ford Republican (before 1918)
Democratic (after 1918) 		Candidate for U.S. President (1916)
Candidate for U.S. Senator from Michigan (1918) 		$1.2 billion[10] Founder of Ford Motor Company
Nelson Rockefeller Republican Governor of New York (1959–1973)
Candidate for U.S. President (1960, 1964, 1968)
Vice President of the United States (1974–77) 		$1 billion[11] Inheritance, grandson of John D. Rockefeller
Steve Forbes Republican Member of the Board for International Broadcasting (1985–1993)
Candidate for U.S. President (1996, 2000) 		$430 million[12] Editor, publisher
Kanye West Independent
Birthday Party[13] 		Candidate for U.S. President (2020) $1.7 billion[14] Founder of GOOD Music, CEO of DONDA, rapper, fashion designer
John Delaney Democrat U.S. Representative from Maryland (2013–2019)
Candidate for U.S. President (2020) 		$230 million[15] Entrepreneur, co-founder of Health Care Financial Partners and CapitolSource
John Kerry Democratic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1985–2013)
Democratic nominee for U.S. President (2004)
Secretary of State (2013–2017) 		$200 million[16] Marriage to Teresa Heinz, the widow of John Heinz, heir to the H. J. Heinz Company
Mitt Romney Independent (before 1993)
Republican (1993–present) 		Candidate for U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1994)
Governor of Massachusetts (2003–2007)
Republican nominee for U.S. President (2012)
U.S. Senator from Utah (2019–present) 		$190–250 million[17] Former CEO of Bain Capital and Bain & Company, son of Michigan Governor George W. Romney
Ted Kennedy Democratic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1962–2009)
Candidate for U.S. President (1980) 		$163 million[18] Inherited stake in the Chicago Merchandise Mart
John Hancock Federalist President of the Continental Congress (1775–1777, 1785–86)
Governor of Massachusetts (1780–85, 1787–93)
Candidate for U.S. President (1788) 		$100 million[19] Inherited a profitable mercantile business from his uncle
Al Gore Democratic U.S. Representative from Tennessee (1977–1985)
U.S. Senator from Tennessee (1985–1993)
Vice President (1993–2001)
Candidate for U.S. President (1988, 2000) 		$100 million[20] Son of attorney and Tennessee U.S. Senator Albert Gore Sr., who owned a stake in Occidental Petroleum, book and film deals
Hillary Clinton Democratic (1968–present) First Lady of the United States (1993–2001)
U.S. Senator from New York (2001–2009)
Candidate for U.S. President (2008, 2016)
Secretary of State (2009–2013) 		$52–111 million[21] Book deals and public speaking fees from foreign/domestic sources
James M. Cox Democratic U.S. Representative from Ohio (1909–1913)
Governor of Ohio (1913–15, 1917–21)
Democratic nominee for U.S. President (1920) 		$40 million (D. 1950)[22] Founded a chain of newspapers that continues today as Cox Enterprises
Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Chair of the New York Democratic Party (1866–1874)
Governor of New York (1875–1876)
Democratic nominee for U.S. President (1876) 		$8.5 million (D. 1886)[23] Law practice, investments, and inheritance of Tilden's Extract

Other U.S. politicians

[edit]
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Name Party Position Net worth Source (Notes)
Walter J. Kohler Jr. Republican Governor of Wisconsin (1951–1957)
Candidate for U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1957) 		$8.8 billion[24] Owner of Vollrath
Rick Caruso Democratic Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles (2022) $5.3 billion[25] Owner-founder of Caruso
Ronald Lauder Republican Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO policy (1984–1986)

Ambassador to Austria (1986–1987)

Candidate for Mayor of New York (1989)

$4.6 billion Co-owner of Estée Lauder, owner of Central European Media Enterprises
J. B. Pritzker Democratic Governor of Illinois (2019–incumbent) $3.5 billion[26] Inheritance, family owns the Hyatt hotel chain
Penny Pritzker Democratic Secretary of Commerce (2013–2017)
Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery (2023–incumbent) 		$2.5 billion[27] Inheritance, family owns the Hyatt hotel chain
Bill Haslam Republican Mayor of Knoxville (2003–2011)
Governor of Tennessee (2011–2019) 		$2 billion[28] Son of Jim Haslam, founder of Pilot Corporation, and former CEO of the e-commerce and catalog division of Saks Fifth Avenue
Mark Dayton Democratic Auditor of Minnesota (1991–1995)
U.S. Senator from Minnesota (2001–2007)
Governor of Minnesota (2011–2019) 		$1.6 billion Great-grandson of George Dayton, the founder of Target[29]
Betsy DeVos Republican Chair of the Michigan Republican Party (1996–2000; 2003–2005)
Secretary of Education (2017–2021) 		$1.25 billion[30] Daughter of Edgar Prince, founder of Prince Corporation; daughter-in-law of Richard DeVos, co-founder of Amway; sister of Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater
Jim Justice Republican (before 2015, 2017–present)
Democratic (2015–2017) 		Governor of West Virginia (2017–incumbent) $1.2 billion[31] Inherited ownership of Bluestone Industries and Bluestone Coal Corporation, founder of Bluestone Farms. Owner of 70 active mines in 5 states as of 2014
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller Republican Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas (1996–2006) 1.2 billion[32][33][34] Member of the Rockefeller Family
Richard C. Blum Democratic First gentleman of San Francisco (1980–1988)
Regent of the University of California (2002–2022) 		$1 billion[35] President of Blum Capital
Linda McMahon Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate from Connecticut (2010; 2012)
Administrator of the Small Business Administration (2017–2019) 		$938 million–1.1 billion[36] Married to Vince McMahon, who inherited the professional wrestling business founded by his grandfather, Jess McMahon, now known as WWE
Herb Kohl Democrat U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1989–2012) $630 million–1.5 billion[37] Inheritance, son of Max Kohl, founder of Kohl's; former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA
C. S. Mott Republican Mayor of Flint, Michigan (1912–1914; 1918–1919) $800 million Co-founder of General Motors
Wilbur Ross Republican Secretary of Commerce (2017–2021) $600 million[38] Founder of private equity firm WL Ross & Co
Kelly Loeffler Republican U.S. Senator from Georgia (2020–2021) $500 million+[39] Married to Jeffrey Sprecher, founder and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange
Jane Harman Democratic United States Representative (1993–1999; 2001–2011) $500 million[citation needed] Inheritance, home and car audio manufacturing corporation
Bruce Rauner Republican Governor of Illinois (2015–2019) $500 million+ Chairman of GTCR
Amo Houghton Republican U.S. Representative from New York (1987–2005) $475 million[40] Former CEO and descendant of the founder of Corning Glass Works
Glenn Youngkin Republican Governor of Virginia (2022–incumbent) $470 million[41] Former CEO of The Carlyle Group
Jared Polis Democratic U.S. Representative from Colorado (2009–2019)
Governor of Colorado (2019–incumbent) 		$388 million[42] Founder of ProFlowers
Phil Bredesen Democratic Mayor of Nashville (1993–1999)
Governor of Tennessee (2003—2011) 		Up to $358 million Founder of HealthAmerica Corporation
Rex Tillerson Republican Secretary of State (2017–2018) $325 million[30] Former CEO of ExxonMobil
Greg Gianforte Republican U.S. Representative from Montana (2017–2021)
Governor of Montana (2021–incumbent) 		$315 million[43] Founder of RightNow Technologies
Gina Raimondo Democratic General Treasurer of Rhode Island (2011–2015)
Governor of Rhode Island (2015–2021)
Secretary of Commerce (2021–incumbent) 		$300 million[40] Founder of Judith Point Capital, venture capitalist, and fund development executive
Jon Corzine Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey (2001–2006)
Governor of New Jersey (2006–2010) 		$300 million[40] Former CEO of Goldman Sachs
Terry Kohler Republican Candidate for Governor of Wisconsin (1982) $300 million[44] Member of the Kohler Family
Steven Mnuchin Republican Secretary of the Treasury (2017–2021) $300 million[30] Former executive of Goldman Sachs
Michael McCaul Republican U.S. Representative from Texas (2005–incumbent) $294 million[16] Son-in-law of Lowry Mays, founder of Clear Channel Communications
Rick Scott Republican Governor of Florida (2011–2019)
U.S. Senator from Florida (2019–incumbent) 		$255 million[45] Founder of Columbia Hospital Corporation
Mark Warner Democratic Chair of the Virginia Democratic Party (1993–1995)
Candidate for U.S. Senator from Virginia (1996)
Governor of Virginia (2002–2006)
U.S. Senator from Virginia (2009–incumbent) 		$243 million[46] Early investor in Nextel Communications
Dan Goldman Democratic Candidate for Attorney General of New York (2022)
U.S. Representative from New York (2023–incumbent) 		$253 million[47] Heir to the Levi's fortune
Darrell Issa Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate from California (1998)
U.S. Representative from California (2001–2019; 2021–incumbent)
Nominee for Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (2019) 		$220 million[16] Founder of Directed Electronics
Rick Snyder Republican Governor of Michigan (2011–2019) $220 million Business, venture capital/investment
Elizabeth Frawley Bagley Democratic Ambassador to Portugal (1994–1997)

Special Advisor to the Secretary of State (2010–2013; 2014–2017) Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly (2012) Ambassador to Brazil (2023–incumbent)

$220 million Widow of Smith Bagley, co-owner of Cellular One
Trudy Busch Valentine Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senator from Missouri (2022) $215 million[48] Daughter of Gussie Busch
Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Democratic Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (1934–1935)
Chair of the Maritime Commission (1937–1938)
U.S. Ambassador to the UK (1938–1940) 		$200–400 million[49] Stock investor, real estate investor, executive at Bethlehem Steel, organizer of RKO, financier of Hollywood films, owner of the distribution rights to Scotch whiskey in the United States, owner of Merchandise Mart, and President of Columbia Trust Bank
Oveta Culp Hobby Democratic (before 1953)

Republican (after 1953)

Administrator of the Federal Security Agency (1953)

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (1953–1955)

$200 million[50] Owner of the Houston Post
Gordon Sondland Republican Oregon State Liaison to the White House (2003–2007)

Member of the Commission on White House Fellows (2007–2010) Ambassador to the European Union (2018–2020)

Up to $185 million[51] Chairman of Provenance Hotels
Carl Paladino Democratic (before 2005)
Republican (2005–present) 		Candidate for Governor of New York (2010)
Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York (2022) 		$150 million[52] Retail real estate developer
Gino Campana Republican Fort Collins City Councillor (2013–2017)

Candidate for Senator from Colorado (2022)

$140.5 million[53] Real estate developer
Ralph K. Davies Democratic Deputy Administrator of the Petroleum Administration for War (1942–1946) $127 million Chairman of American President Lines Standard Oil executive
Bernie Moreno Republican Candidate for Senator from Ohio (2022)

Republican nominee for Senator from Ohio (2024)

$105.7 million[54] Car dealerships, blockchain investments
Mehmet Oz Republican Candidate for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania (2022) $100–$500 million Reality television personality
Arnold Schwarzenegger Republican Governor of California (2003–2011) $100–$200 million[55] Real estate, acting
Heidi Ganahl Republican Regent of the University of Colorado (2017–2023)

Republican Nominee for Governor of Colorado (2022)

$100 million[56] Founder and CEO of Camp Bow Wow

References

[edit]
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  56. ^ Castrillon, Caroline. "This CEO Of $100 Million Brand Launched An App To Set Women Up For Success After College". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-05-23.

See also

[edit]
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