@audreywiththedata: Corporations are spending more on this election than ever before. What’s their motivation? In Part 1, I broke down the numbers behind who’s so financially invested in the midterms and found that there’s three major players: crypto, online betting, and Big Tech companies tied to AI and data center development. Combined, those three sectors account for over half of all corporate spending in this cycle. So what is their motivation? Well, Congress is currently deciding the rules these industries are going to operate under for years. In Part 1, I broke down the numbers behind who’s so financially invested in the midterms and found that there’s three major players: crypto, online betting, and Big Tech companies tied to AI and data center development. Combined, those three sectors account for over half of all corporate spending in this cycle. So what is their motivation? Well, Congress is currently deciding the rules these industries are going to operate under for years. Take crypto. The industry spent enormous amounts of money in the 2024 election, and since Trump returned to office, federal enforcement against the crypto industry has dramatically changed. The Justice Department dissolved its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and explicitly shifted away from pursuing regulatory cases against crypto exchanges and other industry players. At the same time, Trump-appointed regulators at the SEC and CFTC have been developing rules favorable to the industry, including exemptions from some securities regulations. Wouldn’t they love to ensure that Republicans control Congress to continue rubber-stamping these policies? But the crypto industry's biggest prize still isn't finished. Congress has been fighting over the Clarity Act, legislation that would determine which federal regulators have authority over different digital assets. A change in congressional control could lead to significantly tougher regulation, and the Trump-appointed chairman of the CFTC blames Democrats for the bill stalling. The same basic thing is happening with AI and Big Tech. One of the major super PACs this cycle, Leading the Future, was created to intervene in elections around AI policy, and companies connected to Big Tech, AI, and data-center development have already contributed $62 million this cycle. Leading the Future alone has received about $50 million in corporate contributions. And then there's online gambling. DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, and other online-betting interests have poured tens of millions into a super PAC called Win for America. DraftKings gave another $14.5 million in the most recent disclosures. FanDuel gave $7.5 million. Bet365 gave $5.5 million. The PAC has now received about $72 million from corporate donors. These aren't industries sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what Congress decides. They're trying to help decide who gets to be in Congress when those decisions happen. Corporations do not spend $646 million influencing elections because they suddenly developed a passion for civic participation. For them, it’s an investment into their future. #electiondata #politicaldata #pacs #midterms #elections

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Saturday 29 August 2026 12:30:00 GMT