Republican Megadonor Tightens His Purse Strings

Wyoming billionaire and GOP megadonor Timothy Mellon, the grandson of industrialist Andrew Mellon, was the savior who donated $130 million to the U.S. authorities in order for our troopers to be paid when Democrats shut the federal government down. In 2024, Mellon poured close to $200 million into President Donald Trump’s SuperPac MAGA Inc., and Republican Senate and congressional campaigns. With Trump’s presidential win and Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate, it was money nicely spent.

But for 2026, the reclusive mogul has scaled back his spending, reportedly because of Senate Majority Leader John Thune‘s failure to get the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) America Act handed.

Elections have penalties, and so ought to the horrible choices of Thune and the GOP elite who allow him.

One of the Republican Party’s largest donors has sharply diminished his giving forward of the midterm elections, particularly to Senate Republicans, a resolution pushed largely by the social gathering’s failure to move a far-reaching invoice of voting restrictions.

The donor, Timothy Mellon, a reclusive Wyoming billionaire who is a grandson of the Gilded Age industrialist Andrew Mellon, gave practically $200 million to help President Trump and other Republicans in the 2024 election. Only Elon Musk donated more.

Two years later, Mr. Mellon has given just $3 million or so in publicly disclosed donations to Republican candidates or teams. He also made a $20 million donation last month to help House Republicans, according to two people briefed on the contribution, which is not going to be disclosed until the next financial studies.

But Mr. Mellon has given nothing publicly so far to help Senate Republicans this fall — a transfer that has been conspicuous in the social gathering’s financial circles, and reveals how some influential Republicans stay offended about the social gathering’s incapacity this summer time to move the voting laws, called the SAVE America Act.

While Mellon hasn’t dropped the moolah, it doesn’t suggest he isn’t dropping it at all. But he does seem to be bypassing the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

After making an average of 28 donations in each of the last 4 election cycles, Mr. Mellon has made only 5 publicly disclosed contributions in the 2026 cycle so far. He donated practically $2 million in personal stock to MAGA Inc.; $1 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund; and smaller five-figure checks to three other conservative-aligned tremendous PACs. Two of those teams backed candidates for the Senate who criticized Mr. Thune and misplaced their Republican nominating fights.

Campaign finance studies show only public donations through June 30 for some federal committees, and through Aug. 30 for other committees. More donations from Mr. Mellon to Republicans may very well be revealed in the approaching weeks. His $20 million donation in August to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the group backing House Republicans, is set to be disclosed in an F.E.C. report by Oct. 15. The tremendous PAC declined to remark.

Notably absent so far: any donations to help elect Senate Republican nominees this fall.

Can you blame him? Along with the Senate Republicans’ failure to move the SAVE America Act, they handed another persevering with decision instead of funding the federal government. Next week will close out the legislative session where it should come as a great shock to the American people if something related will get achieved.   

The Senate is about to take yet another trip.

This time, Senators have 37 days off.

✅ Vacation
❌ Legislation
❌ Budget reconciliation pic.twitter.com/yUCWL4cDKp

— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) September 25, 2026

Quarterly FEC reporting comes through again in October, so we could discover Mellon has stored his powder dry for the only function of carpet-bombing the high stakes Senate races in Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Texas. Bottom line: if you might be giving that a lot money, you anticipate outcomes and the candidates who will ship them. If Republicans lose their majorities because of the Senate’s failures, other donors could just observe Mellon’s lead in future elections. 

There are donors who legitimately anticipate Republicans to fulfill the president’s agenda, and not just play the sport of managed opposition.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will decide the destiny of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must preserve control of both chambers of Congress.

Help RedState continue to report on the Democrats’ radicalism and inform voters as our nation faces a crossroads. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to obtain 60% off your membership.