Garrett for Statehouse Committee made the largest political donation in the state during the week ending Nov. 26, 2022, giving $15,000 to the Republican Party of Iowa on Nov. 21, 2022, according to Iowa.gov.
More than $22 million was raised for the Iowa Senate race in 2022. This was split fairly evenly between the Republican and Democrat parties.
What’s known as “dark money,” which comes from political non-profits and shell corporations, has greatly increased expenditures and donations in recent elections to record-breaking highs.
Donations made to political groups or candidates must be disclosed under state law for greater transparency in elections.
Disclosures of political contributions can be unclear or murky due to gaps in information and misreporting.
Top Political Contributions in Iowa for week ending Nov. 26, 2022
| Committee | Contributor | Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican Party of Iowa | Garrett for Statehouse Committee | $15,000 | 11/21/2022 |
| Republican Party of Iowa | Waylon Brown for State Senate | $5,500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Grocers Political Action Committee | Donald Zietlow | $5,000 | 11/22/2022 |
| Associated General Contractors of Iowa, PAC | Tom Norcross | $5,000 | 11/22/2022 |
| Vote Jorgensen | Jeff Jorgensen | $4,500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Polk County Republican Central Committee | David Barker | $4,373 | 11/22/2022 |
| Friends of Whitver | Grocers Political Action Committee | $3,000 | 11/22/2022 |
| Associated General Contractors of Iowa, PAC | Cork Peterson | $3,000 | 11/22/2022 |
| Kim Reynolds for Iowa | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $3,000 | 11/23/2022 |
| Waylon Brown for State Senate | Bankers Unite in Legislative Decisions | $2,500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Kim Reynolds for Iowa | Valero Energy Corporation, PAC | $2,500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | — | $2,200 | 11/23/2022 |
| 17 Davenport Association of Professional Fire Fighters, PAC | Fire Fighters Interested in Registration & Education (FI, PAC | $1,668 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Providers, PAC | James Maize | $1,500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Win With Windschitl | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $1,500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Associated General Contractors of Iowa, PAC | Justin Lechtenberg | $1,500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Jason Strelow | $1,050 | 11/23/2022 |
| Wheeler for Representative | FUELIowa, PAC | $1,000 | 11/21/2022 |
| Brian Best for House | General Motors Company Political Action Committee | $1,000 | 11/21/2022 |
| Sinclair for Iowa | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $950 | 11/21/2022 |
| Heavy Highway Political Action Committee | — | $828 | 11/21/2022 |
| Ringgold County Democratic Central Committee | — | $820 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | D and L Farms | $776 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Tom Herzmann | $650 | 11/21/2022 |
| Deb VanderGaast for Iowa Senate | Deborah Vandergaast | $619 | 11/21/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | GSH Stable, LLC | $536 | 11/22/2022 |
| Bisignano for Senate Account | Kum & Go, Inc., PAC | $500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Credit Union, PAC | Scott Zahnle | $500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Cerro Gordo County Republican Central Committee | Jeff Braun | $500 | 11/23/2022 |
| Iowa Telecommunications Association, PAC | John Pietila | $500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Latham for Iowa | Iowa Dental Political Action Committee | $500 | 11/20/2022 |
| Citizens for Sexton | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/23/2022 |
| Cournoyer for Senate | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/23/2022 |
| Citizens for Sharon Steckman | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/26/2022 |
| Boone County Democratic Central Committee | Mary Jo Schmerr | $500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Waylon Brown for State Senate | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Friends of Rural Electrification-IAEC, PAC | William McKim | $500 | 11/23/2022 |
| Rich Taylor Campaign Fund | Iowa Turkey Federation, PAC | $500 | 11/23/2022 |
| Deyoe for House | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Henderson for House | Ron and Carol Weick | $500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Brian Best for House | Casey’s, PAC | $500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Jeff Edler for State Senate | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Sweeney for State House | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Stone for House | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/21/2022 |
| Kraayenbrink for Iowa Senate | Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government | $500 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Kuhlman Racing | $496 | 11/22/2022 |
| Ankeny Area Democrats | — | $442 | 11/25/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Rick Bauer | $440 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowa Health, PAC | Jeffrey Schmidt | $420 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Gordon Sorensen | $400 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Danny Caldwell | $376 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Political Action Committee | — | $360 | 11/21/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Rodney Miller | $312 | 11/22/2022 |
| Eddie Andrews For Iowa | I360 | $310 | 11/25/2022 |
| Iowa Providers, PAC | Jack Mescher | $300 | 11/21/2022 |
| Wapello County Democratic Central Committee | — | $300 | 11/23/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Ryan Backes | $300 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Kristi Tibben | $300 | 11/22/2022 |
| DVogel for Supervisor | Dawn Vogel | $300 | 11/20/2022 |
| Citizens for Sharon Steckman | Iowans for a Skilled Workforce | $250 | 11/26/2022 |
| John Kies for County Attorney | Monica McHugh | $250 | 11/20/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Brian Page | $250 | 11/21/2022 |
| Susie Weinacht for Iowa | Andrew Boettger | $250 | 11/23/2022 |
| Iowa Dental Political Action Committee | Duane Van Nieuwenhuyzen | $250 | 11/21/2022 |
| Waylon Brown for State Senate | Iowans for a Skilled Workforce | $250 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Realtors, PAC | Tom Herzmann | $250 | 11/21/2022 |
| Citizens for Sharon Steckman | Megan Hull | $250 | 11/26/2022 |
| Iowans For Miller | Peter and Patricia Pashler | $250 | 11/20/2022 |
| Iowans For A Skilled Workforce | Ellen Bluth | $250 | 11/21/2022 |
| Cerro Gordo County Republican Central Committee | Ryan Schupick | $250 | 11/22/2022 |
| Friends of Jazmin Newton | Leo Schubert | $250 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Providers, PAC | Joseph York | $250 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowa Dental Political Action Committee | Robert Dostal | $250 | 11/23/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Heath and Sheena Campbell | $248 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Gross Thoroughbreds, LLC | $240 | 11/22/2022 |
| Lyon County Republican Central Committee | — | $233 | 11/23/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Country Bro Stables | $232 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Loretta McClintock | $232 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | MAMAS Thoroughbreds, LLC | $232 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Joel Hunsburger | $224 | 11/22/2022 |
| Cedar County Republican Central Committee | Bruce Barnhart | $220 | 11/23/2022 |
| Alliant Energy Employees’ Iowa, PAC | John Larsen | $210 | 11/23/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Glenda Sapp | $208 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Burghardt Alexis | $208 | 11/22/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Danny Stafford | $208 | 11/22/2022 |
| Laborers’ Local 43, PAC | Laborers’ Local 43, PAC | $200 | 11/26/2022 |
| Iowa 4th District Republican Executive Committee | Jim Hugg | $200 | 11/23/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Manny Camacho, Travis Swan Murphy and Matt Trent | $200 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowans For A Skilled Workforce | Chrystal Vetter | $200 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowa Providers, PAC | Keith Schwartz | $200 | 11/21/2022 |
| IFC, PAC | Richard Hunter | $200 | 11/25/2022 |
| IFC, PAC | Kenneth Stinson | $200 | 11/22/2022 |
| Iowa Providers, PAC | Susan Woodford | $200 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowa Optometric Association | Dennis Francis | $200 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowans For A Skilled Workforce | Donald Doucette | $200 | 11/21/2022 |
| Iowa Unity Coalition | Joan Kato | $200 | 11/26/2022 |
| Lee County Republican Central Committee | — | $199 | 11/21/2022 |
| Talsma for Jasper County Supervisor | Jasper County Republican Central Committee | $194 | 11/23/2022 |
| Citizens for Preservation of Racing | Forge Ahead Stables, LLC | $192 | 11/22/2022 |
