Driving Politics: 14 Automakers & Their 2024 US Election Contributions, Detailed
A look at 14 car companies, their contributions, and where the money went in the 2024 US election.
October 20, 2024
Automakers have increasingly found themselves intertwined with political campaigns, especially in the context of US elections. Their financial contributions serve multiple strategic purposes.
First and foremost, automakers seek to influence policies and regulations that directly impact their operations. As the automotive industry undergoes significant transitions—such as the shift toward electric vehicles, stringent emissions standards, and autonomous driving technologies—legislation and regulatory frameworks can significantly affect their future. Supporting candidates or political parties that align with their corporate goals enables automakers to advocate for policies that favor their growth and innovation.
In addition to regulatory concerns, automakers also aim to secure favorable trade agreements, tax incentives, and subsidies. Political contributions allow these companies to position themselves favorably with policymakers, ensuring that they are considered when decisions are made that affect manufacturing, global supply chains, and market competitiveness. The large scale of their operations means that even small changes in policy can result in substantial financial consequences.
These contributions, while financial, carry considerable influence. As key players in a massive industry, automakers' support can sway election outcomes, influence political agendas, and help shape future regulatory landscapes that will define the next generation of vehicles and transportation infrastructure.
Recently, OpenSecrets released information revealing the monetary contributions made by major automakers to the 2024 US election. All of our data comes from this organization. Open Secrets notes that all the following numbers are for the 2024 election cycle and based on Federal Election Commission data released electronically on 09/22/24.
As our graphic above notes, the automotive industry as a whole donated a total of $7,847,435 to campaigns and outside groups. This total is larger than the total given by auto OEMs: Car manufacturers, even big ones like Ford and GM, generally don't contribute as much as car dealers, with their large number of mom-and-pop showrooms. Open Secrets notes that in some years dealerships as a group contributed as much as roughly three times as much money as automakers as a group. The carmakers are also more balanced as to which parties they support, as we will see.
In this feature, we are passing over dealerships, suppliers, and political action committee (PAC) groups to focus only on carmakers. Read on to learn about 14 automakers and the breakdown of their political contributions in the 2024 election cycle.
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