Larry Ellison was briefly the world’s richest man. Here are the politicians he’s backed over the years.
In a remarkable turn of events, Larry Ellison, the cofounder and chairman of Oracle, briefly surpassed Elon Musk as the world’s richest man in September 2023, following a significant surge in Oracle’s stock price after a stellar earnings report. This milestone not only highlights Ellison’s enduring influence in the tech industry but also underscores Oracle’s pivotal role in the recent American acquisition of TikTok, which received approval from former President Donald Trump that same month. Alongside his corporate achievements, Ellison’s personal life has recently made headlines as well, particularly with his son David’s acquisition of Paramount, a move that has sparked considerable discussion within the media landscape, especially with the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS.
Despite his wealth and influence, Ellison is known for maintaining a relatively low profile compared to other tech billionaires. His past decisions reflect a blend of business acumen and personal interests, such as his purchase of a Hawaiian island and an airline to facilitate travel to it. Politically, Ellison has been a notable donor, primarily supporting Republican candidates and causes. His most significant contributions have been directed towards Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, with over $35 million funneled into the Opportunity Matters Fund, a super PAC associated with Scott as he gears up for a presidential run in 2024. Ellison’s financial support has also extended to other prominent figures, including Senator Marco Rubio and former Senator Mitt Romney, illustrating his strategic engagement in the political arena.
Ellison’s political donations have not been limited to one party; while he has largely favored Republican candidates in recent years, his history includes significant contributions to Democrats in the 1990s. This duality in his political affiliations reflects a broader trend among wealthy tech leaders who navigate the complex interplay of business and politics. As Ellison continues to make headlines, both for his business ventures and his political contributions, he remains a figure of interest in the evolving landscape of American politics and technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzdiJeXBH5Y
Oracle chairman and cofounder Larry Ellison briefly eclipsed Elon Musk as the world’s richest man this week.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
In September, Larry Ellison briefly overtook Elon Musk as the richest man in the world.
Ellison cofounded Oracle and his son recently bought Paramount.
He’s also been a big political donor and has supported several politicians over the years.
You’ve probably heard
Larry Ellison’s
name a lot lately.
In September, the cofounder and chairman of
Oracle
briefly overtook
Elon Musk
as the richest man in the world after his company’s stock price soared on news of a blockbuster earnings report.
He also cemented Oracle’s role in the
American takeover of TikTok
, which was approved by President
Donald Trump
that same month.
And in August, his son
David
successfully
acquired Paramount
, a major shake-up of the media industry that led to a string of new acquisitions and the ascent of Bari Weiss as editor in chief of CBS.
Nonetheless, Ellison is known for keeping a relatively low profile compared to other major tech billionaires.
He’s been around for a long time, and over the years, he’s made a number of interesting moves. In 2012, he
bought an entire island
in Hawaii, and he later
purchased an airline
to help facilitate travel to it.
He also owns several mansions, including properties in Malibu, Palm Beach, and Rhode Island.
And the billionaire has thrown around his money in another way: spending it on political campaigns.
Though he’s one of several tech leaders who’s fostered ties to Trump, Ellison does not appear to have ever made any direct, public contributions to the president’s political operation, according to Federal Election Commission records.
He did
host a fundraiser
for Trump in 2020 on one of his properties, but has said that he did not attend the event himself.
But Ellison has spent big on some other major politicians — mostly Republicans.
Here are the politicians who’ve enjoyed Ellison’s largesse over the years.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Sen.
Tim Scott
, a Republican senator from South Carolina, has been Ellison’s biggest financial beneficiary by far.
From 2020 to 2023, as Scott geared up for a 2024 presidential bid, Ellison poured more than $35 million into Opportunity Matters Fund, a super PAC associated with Scott.
Ellison even attended Scott’s presidential campaign launch event in South Carolina in 2023, where the senator gave the Oracle cofounder and
shoutout
and called him a “mentor” of his.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Franklin Jacome/Agencia Press South/Getty Images
Long before he became Secretary of State, Marco Rubio was a freshman senator running for President of the United States.
During the 2016 presidential election, Ellison contributed $5 million to Conservative Solutions PAC, a super PAC that supported Rubio’s presidential bid.
Ellison
reportedly
held a fundraiser for Rubio at his mansion in Woodside, a town in the San Francisco Bay Area, in May 2015.
Rubio ultimately dropped out of the race after losing his home state of Florida, and Trump went on to win the nomination and the presidency.
Former Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
Long before Romney was a senator from Utah, Ellison was a supporter of his 2012 presidential candidacy.
Ellison donated $3 million to Restore Our Future, a pro-Romney super PAC, that year.
Romney, the onetime governor of Massachusetts, ultimately lost to then-President Barack Obama. He was later elected to the Senate in 2018 and retired after 2024.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Tim Scott isn’t the only South Carolina politician that Ellison has supported.
The state’s other Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, has also earned Ellison’s financial support, including as recently as this year.
Ellison contributed $1 million to Security is Strength, a pro-Graham super PAC, in March of this year.
It was his largest publicly disclosed political donation since 2022. Graham is seeking reelection next year.
Ellison also made a $250,000 contribution to the same group in 2020, the last time that Graham was up for reelection.
A smattering of other politicians have received Ellison’s money
Wally McNamee/Corbis via Getty Images
Ellison has donated to a variety of other politicians over the years.
In July, he gave almost $50,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the official campaign arm for Senate Republicans.
In 2020, he gave $1 million apiece to super PACs supporting Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine and GOP candidate John James in Michigan. He also gave $1 million in 2022 to a super PAC that spent heavily in a US House primary in Tennessee.
While most of his contributions have been to Republicans, Ellison wasn’t always just a GOP donor.
FEC records show that in the 1990s, he made significant donations to Democrats, including a total of $120,000 to the Democratic National Committee, when Bill Clinton was the party’s presidential nominee.
In 2000, he was
quoted
as saying: “We should have amended the Constitution to elect Bill Clinton to a third term.”
Read the original article on
Business Insider
