[link removed] [[link removed]] NOVEMBER 26, 2025
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Happy Thanksgiving! Before you dig into your bird, digest our report on the turkey industry's political activity, which has been on the rise in recent years. And we also took a look at some of the campaign giving among owners and employees of the NFL teams playing on Thanksgiving. Once you've had your fill of Thanksgiving-themed analysis, check out the data from the last time Doug Jones and Tommy Tuberville faced off. The two men from Alabama ran against each other for Senate in 2020 and are now positioned for rematch, but this time for governor.
Let’s talk turkey: Industry lobbying and PAC contributions are on the rise
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Roughly 46 million turkeys [[link removed]] are eaten on Thanksgiving Day in the United States, according to a Department of Agriculture report. This figure represents more than 20 percent of the 200 million turkeys [[link removed]] produced nationally each year.
The National Turkey Federation represents the interests of nearly 300 companies [[link removed]] involved in turkey production and distribution – about 95 percent of the industry. NTF members include the nation’s top producers of turkey, such as Butterball, Cargill Protein, Cooper Farms, Jennie-O, Perdue Farms and Tyson Foods.
Over the past two decades, Jackie Mitchell reports , OpenSecrets has tracked [[link removed]] $3.28 million in lobbying expenditures by the National Turkey Federation. Each year from 2010 to 2023, the NTF spent $140,000 on lobbying. The federation increased its typical lobbying budget during the economic downturn in 2008-2009, and it has ramped up over the past two years.
The NTF’s recent lobbying efforts [[link removed]] have been focused on bills addressing avian influenza and disease prevention, logistics and trade, immigration, and the impact of tariffs and retaliatory actions on the U.S. turkey industry.
Bar chart showing annual lobbying expenditures by National Turkey Federation [[link removed]]
In addition to lobbying, the NTF has funneled $2.4 million to federal candidates over the last 10 election cycles (2006-2024) through its political action committee, the National Turkey Federation PAC [[link removed]] . On average, 33 percent of donations went to Democratic candidates while 67 percent went to Republican candidates. The PAC’s donations to federal candidates have increased 238 percent from 2006 to 2024, with $106,369 donated in 2006 and $359,000 donated in 2024.
Bar chart showing National Turkey Federation PAC's donations to federal candidates, by party [[link removed]]
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America's Team wins the money game
While businesses, such as professional football teams, may not use corporate funds to donate to federal candidates, owners and employees are free to donate as they see fit (within legal limits). Of the six teams that are playing on Thanksgiving, the Dallas Cowboys’ owners and employees (primarily Jerry Jones’ family) gave the most to candidates, party committees and outside spending groups in 2024. People affiliated with the publicly owned Green Bay Packers donated just a few hundred dollars last cycle.
Read more about the NFL's political activities. [[link removed]]
Graphic showing political donations by NFL teams playing on Thanksgiving [[link removed]]
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Chart of the week
It's a rematch in Alabama
In 2020, former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville ran for Senate in Alabama, easily ousting Democrat Doug Jones, even though Jones spent four times as much money on the race. The two men are poised for a rematch, but this time they will be running for governor.
Bar chart showing total contributions by members of the Marines, by part of recipients, by election cycle since 2000 [[link removed]]
Dive in to Donor Lookup
Want to know who’s funding the candidates and causes shaping our democracy? With our Donor Lookup [[link removed]] tools, you can quickly and easily:
* Search millions of federal campaign contributions by name, employer, or location.
* See who’s giving to which candidates, parties and PACs.
* Explore patterns of political giving that help explain the forces behind elections.
Whether you’re a concerned voter, journalist, researcher, or just a curious citizen, Donor Lookup puts transparency at your fingertips.
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What else we're reading
The case of a felon who paid lobbyists nearly $1 million to seek a Trump pardon [[link removed]] (The Washington Post)
What an ethics complaint against 16 state lawmakers reveals about dark money in Colorado politics [[link removed]] (KUNC)
Trump-Aligned Groups Get Big Boost From ‘Dark Money’ Behemoth [[link removed]] (NOTUS)
Fugees rapper Pras Michel sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegal lobbying [[link removed]] (BBC )
OpenSecrets in the News
See our media citations from outlets around the nation this week:
How billionaires took over American politics [[link removed]] (The Washington Post)
In 2000, the country’s wealthiest 100 people donated about a quarter of 1 percent of the total cost of federal elections, according to a Post analysis of data from OpenSecrets. By 2024, they covered about 7.5 percent, even as the cost of such elections soared. In other words, roughly 1 in every 13 dollars spent in last year’s national elections was donated by a handful of the country’s richest people.
The shocking amount billionaires are spending to influence elections has Americans worried about democracy: New poll [[link removed]] (NJ.com)
Musk alone donated more than $291 million to Republican candidates, political action committees and other outside spending organizations, according to analysis by OpenSecrets. Business magnate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave nearly $65 million to Democrats.
‘Friends end up blocking you’: Northwestern Mutual sold college grads a dream job. They left in ruin and debt [[link removed]] (The Guardian)
The industry has fought to keep it that way. Since 1998, insurers have spent nearly $4bn lobbying, according to OpenSecrets. Northwestern alone spent almost $3m last year. “They have the best lobbyists in the world,” says Georgetown professor James Angel. “They’ve forestalled federal regulation for a century.”
Can Paul Finebaum win the U.S. Senate race in Alabama? Here’s what he faces [[link removed]] (AL.com)
Tuberville raised $8.5 million in 2020 to defeat Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who raised more than $30 million, according to Open Secrets. In 2022, Sen. Katie Britt raised more than $11.4 million.
Unearthed FEC records expose vulnerable Dem senator's hypocrisy on taking cash from billionaires [[link removed]] (Fox News)
In total, Ossoff's campaigns have received contributions from over 70 billionaires since 2017 when Ossoff first ran for Congress. Ossoff has touted his refusal to accept corporate PAC money, but according to election finance watchdog OpenSecrets, some of Ossoff's top individual contributors come from major corporations like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta.
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The OpenSecrets merch store is here!
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We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the OpenSecrets Merch Store [[link removed]] ! Now, you can support our mission while looking good doing it. Every purchase helps us provide comprehensive and reliable data, analysis and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens.
Our collection — initially featuring a hoodie, crewneck, t-shirt and hat — is designed to spread awareness and make a difference. Whether you're treating yourself or finding the perfect gift, every item you buy helps fuel our cause. And every item in our store was manufactured by a certified ethical and “sweat-free” company.
Join us in wearing your support — transparency has never been more comfortable!
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