Why is Timothy Mellon cutting GOP Senate funding? Billionaire donor's big move ahead of 2026 midterms
Timothy Mellon, 84, has sharply cut his political donations ahead of the midterm elections, especially to Senate Republicans. Mellon is a reclusive billionaire from Wyoming and the grandson of Gilded Age industrialist Andrew Mellon.
Timothy Mellon has sharply reduced his Republican political giving ahead of the 2026 midterms. (X/@SaveUSAKitty)As per reports, Mellon has not publicly donated to any Republican Senate nominee this election cycle.
The main reason is the party's failure to pass the SAVE America Act this summer. The bill was pushed hard by President Donald Trump.
According to The New York Times, the bill would place strict limits on voting by mail, introduce a nationwide voter ID requirement and require people to show proof of US citizenship when registering to vote. The latest version also included ID rules for absentee ballots.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune supported the bill but said the “math” was not there to overcome a Democratic filibuster. In March, Thune said, “the votes aren’t there,” as per The Daily Beast. The effort eventually failed.
Mellon's team has told other Republicans that this is why he is not backing Senate Republicans, according to the New York Times. After he got a mailed fundraising letter, Mellon wrote back himself saying he would not donate because the bill failed.
As per the New York Times, Mellon gave nearly $200 million in 2024 to support Trump and other Republicans. Only Elon Musk gave more. He was the biggest disclosed donor to Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc, and wrote two $50 million checks to it.
This time, he has given only about $3 million in public donations.
He made an average of 28 donations in each of the last four election cycles. In 2026, he has made only five publicly disclosed donations so far. These include nearly $2 million in private stock to MAGA Inc and $1 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund. He also gave smaller five-figure checks to three other conservative-aligned super PACs.
It is uncertain how much this matters. Republicans have a broad financial advantage in the midterms, with Trump's super PAC and other megadonors putting tens of millions of dollars into key races.
The Senate Leadership Fund has raised nearly $80 million more than its Democratic counterpart. Other billionaires, including Miriam Adelson ($30 million) and Stephen Schwarzman ($17 million), have filled the gap. A person close to the group said it never expected a check from Mellon this cycle, even before the bill failed.
Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More
