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

Name Party Date(s) Estimated wealth
adjusted for inflation
Source of wealth
Donald Trump Republican 2017–2021 $2.5 billion (2020)[1] Inheritance, business, real estate
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

Name Party Position Date(s) Estimated wealth
not adjusted for inflation
Notes
Michael Bloomberg Democratic (before 2001, 2018–present)
Independent (2007–2018)
Republican (2001–2007)
Mayor of New York City 2002–2014
2020
$54.9 billion[4] Founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P.
Ross Perot Independent (before 1995)
Reform (1995–2000)
Republican (2000–2019)
Member, President's Intelligence Advisory Board
Member, Select Committee on Public Education
Candidate for U.S. President
1981–1985
1983
1992 (nominee), 1996 (nominee)
$4.1 billion[5] Founded Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems
Tom Steyer Democratic 2020 $1.6 billion[6] Founder of Farallon Capital
Nelson Rockefeller Republican Governor of New York
Candidate for U.S. President
Vice President
1959–1973
1960, 1964, 1968
1974–1977
$1 billion[7] Inheritance, grandson of John D. Rockefeller
Steve Forbes Republican Member, Board for International Broadcasting
Candidate for U.S. President
1985–1993
1996, 2000
$430 million[8] Editor, publisher
John Delaney Democrat U.S. Representative from Maryland

Candidate for U.S. President

2013-2019

2020

$230 million[9] Entrepreneur, co-founder of Health Care Financial Partners and CapitolSource
John Kerry Democratic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
Candidate for U.S. President
Secretary of State
1985–2013
2004 (nominee)
2013–2017
$200 million[10] 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. Senate, Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
Candidate for U.S. President
U.S. Senator from Utah
1994 (nominee)
2003–2007
2008, 2012 (nominee)
2019–present
$190–250 million[11] Former CEO of Bain Capital and Bain & Company, son of Michigan Governor George W. Romney
Ted Kennedy Democratic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
Candidate for U.S. President
1962–2009
1980
$163 million[12] Inherited stake in the Chicago Merchandise Mart
John Hancock Federalist President of the Continental Congress
Governor of Massachusetts
Candidate for U.S. President
1775–1777, 1785–1786
1780–1785, 1787–1793
1789
$100 million[13] Inherited a profitable mercantile business from his uncle
Al Gore Democratic U.S. Representative from Tennessee
U.S. Senator from Tennessee
Vice President
Candidate for U.S. President
1977–1985
1985–1993
1993–2001
1988, 2000 (nominee)
$100 million[14] Son of attorney and Tennessee U.S. Senator Albert Gore Sr., who owned a stake in Occidental Petroleum, book and film deals
Hillary Rodham Clinton Democratic (1968–present) First Lady
U.S. Senator from New York
Candidate for U.S. President
Secretary of State
1993–2001
2001–2009
2008, 2016 (nominee)
2009–2013
$52–111 million[15] Book deals and public speaking fees from foreign/domestic sources
James M. Cox Democratic U.S. Representative from Ohio
Governor of Ohio
Candidate for U.S. President
1909–1913
1913–1915, 1917–1921
1920 (nominee)
$40 million (D. 1950)[16] Founded a chain of newspapers that continues today as Cox Enterprises
Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Chair of the New York Democratic Party
Governor of New York
Candidate for U.S. President
1866–1874
1875–1876
1876 (nominee)
$8.5 million (D. 1886)[17] Law practice, investments, and inheritance of Tilden's Extract

Other U.S. politicians

Name Party Position Date(s) Net worth Notes
J. B. Pritzker Democratic Governor of Illinois 2019–present $3.5 billion[18] Inheritance, family owns the Hyatt hotel chain
Penny Pritzker Democratic Secretary of Commerce 2013–2017 $2.5 billion[19] Inheritance, family owns the Hyatt hotel chain
Bill Haslam Republican Mayor of Knoxville
Governor of Tennessee
2003–2011
2011–2019
$2 billion[20] 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
U.S. Senator from Minnesota
Governor of Minnesota
1991–1995
2001–2007
2011–2019
$1.6 billion Great grandson of George Dayton, the founder of Target[21]
Betsy DeVos Republican Chair of the Michigan Republican Party
Secretary of Education
1996–2000
2003–2005
2017–2021
$1.25 billion[22] 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–present $1.2 billion[23] Founder of Bluestone Farms. Owner of 70 active mines in 5 states as of 2014
Linda McMahon Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate, Connecticut
Administrator of the Small Business Administration
2010 (nominee), 2012 (nominee)
2017–2019
$938 million-1.1 billion[24] 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[25] Inheritance, son of Max Kohl, founder of Kohl's; former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA
Wilbur Ross Republican Secretary of Commerce 2017-2021 $600 million[26] Founder of WL Ross & Co
Kelly Loeffler Republican U.S. Senator from Georgia 2020-2021 $500 million+[27] Married to Jeffrey Sprecher, founder and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange
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[28] Former CEO and descendant of the founder of Corning Glass Works
Jared Polis Democratic U.S. Representative from Colorado
Governor of Colorado
2009–2019
2019–present
$388 million[29] Founder of ProFlowers
Rex Tillerson Republican Secretary of State 2017–2018 $325 million[22] Former CEO of ExxonMobil
Greg Gianforte Republican Governor-elect of Montana
U.S. Representative from Montana
2016 (nominee), 2020
2017–present
$315 million[30] Founder of RightNow Technologies
Jon Corzine Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
2001–2006
2006–2010
$300 million[28] Former CEO of Goldman Sachs
Steven Mnuchin Republican Secretary of the Treasury 2017–2021 $300 million[22] Former executive of Goldman Sachs
Michael McCaul Republican U.S. Representative from Texas 2005–present $294 million[10] Son-in-law of Lowry Mays, founder of Clear Channel Communications
Rick Scott Republican Governor of Florida
U.S. Senator from Florida
2011–2019
2019–present
$255 million[31] Founder of Columbia Hospital Corporation
Mark Warner Democratic Chair of the Virginia Democratic Party
Candidate for U.S. Senate, Virginia
Governor of Virginia
U.S. Senator from Virginia
1993–1995
1996 (nominee)
2002–2006
2009–present
$243 million[32] Co-founder of Nextel Communications
Darrell Issa Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate, California
U.S. Representative from California
Nominee for Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency
1998
2001–2019
2019
$220 million[10] Founder of Directed Electronics
Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Democratic Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission
Chair of the Maritime Commission
U.S. Ambassador to the UK
1934–1935
1937–1938
1938–1940
$200–400 million[33] Investor, banker, filmmaker
Carl Paladino Democratic (before 2005)
Republican (2005–present)
Candidate for Governor of New York 2010 (nominee) $150 million[34] Retail real estate developer
Arnold Schwarzenegger Republican Governor of California 2003–2011 $100–$200 million[35] Real estate, acting

References

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  24. http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Linda-and-Vince-McMahon-disclose-billion-in-assets-11050232.php
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  30. "What you need to know about House candidate Greg Gianforte and Montana's special election". Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  31. Rick Scott reveals highest-ever family assets of at least $255 million, tampabay.com (July 2018).
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  35. Williams, Lance (August 17, 2003). "Schwarzenegger worth $100 million, experts say". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 28, 2008. Retrieved April 18, 2008.

See also

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