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Federal Employees Donate $4.2 Million to Presidential Candidates in 2024
Federal employees have contributed over $4.2 million to key candidates in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, with a notable 84% of these donations directed towards Vice President Kamala Harris.
Since announcing her candidacy, Harris has secured approximately $3.5 million from workers within cabinet-level agencies. In contrast, former President Donald Trump has garnered around $675,000 during the same period, according to data compiled by the Federal Election Commission and analyzed by Government Executive. This shift is particularly striking when compared to the previous election cycle in 2020, where Trump received nearly 40% of all federal employee donations.
Trump’s donation base primarily comes from the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, which accounted for more than 61% of his total support. An additional 8% originated from the Department of Transportation. On the other hand, Harris received just above one-third of her contributions from the same agencies, revealing a distinct divergence in support among federal workers.
The Education Department showcased the most pronounced lopsidedness in donations, with employees contributing over $25,000 to Harris and refusing to donate to Trump altogether, as per FEC records. Other agencies demonstrating overwhelming support for Harris include the Environmental Protection Agency, where 99% of donations favored her, followed by the Energy Department at 97%, the Commerce Department at 96%, and the State Department at 94%.
The donation trends might be influenced by the former president’s past policies toward these agencies. Trump has consistently threatened to abolish the Department of Education if elected again and has maintained a contentious relationship with the EPA, proposing significant budget cuts and interfering in the agency’s scientific endeavors. He has also implemented a hiring freeze at the State Department, denouncing it as “the Deep State” Department, and has pledged to dismantle the merit-based civil service for a substantial portion of the federal workforce.
Interestingly, the Treasury Department emerged as the only significant agency outside DHS, Defense, and Transportation where at least 25% of donations favored Trump.
However, it is important to note that these donation figures may not accurately predict the voting intentions of federal employees. A survey conducted by Government Executive shortly before the 2020 election indicated that 60% of federal workers supported Joe Biden, whereas only 32% leaned toward Trump. Currently, there is no available polling data for the 2024 election to shed light on potential voting patterns.
Under the provisions of the Hatch Act, federal employees are restricted from participating in political activities, including soliciting or making donations, while on duty or in their official roles. Nonetheless, they retain the freedom to engage in political matters outside of their professional obligations.
Source
www.govexec.com