Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity, a conservative-libertarian advocacy group, has spent nearly $178.6 million in 2024, with its hybrid political committee, Americans for Prosperity Action, accounting for more than half of that amount. The group, which operates under the umbrella of the larger Americans for Prosperity network, is one of the most influential political organizations in the United States, backed by substantial financial resources from billionaire Charles Koch and his business empire, Koch Industries. Koch Industries, originally founded as an oil refinery, has since expanded into multiple sectors, including energy, finance, agriculture, and technology. As of 2025, the company's estimated annual revenue reached $125 billion, according to Forbes. Through its extensive financial influence, Koch Industries funds a range of affiliated organizations, including the Americans for Prosperity network, which includes the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and Americans for Prosperity Action. These entities work together to advance policies aligned with conservative and libertarian values. Americans for Prosperity describes itself as an organization dedicated to promoting "freedom and opportunity" to foster prosperity for all. Its policy priorities include economic growth, healthcare reform, educational access, criminal justice reform, free speech protections, and immigration policy. The group is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, allowing it to engage in limited political activity while maintaining its nonpartisan status. However, its affiliated entity, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, is classified as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, exempting it from certain disclosure requirements. In 2024, Americans for Prosperity Action operated as a hybrid political committee, enabling it to both contribute directly to candidates and fund independent expenditures. This dual structure allows the group to exert significant influence over electoral outcomes. As of June 30, 2026, the hybrid PAC had raised approximately $87.3 million, with its largest contributors being Koch Industries and Stand Together, another nonprofit linked to Charles Koch. Stand Together contributed $26.5 million, while Koch Industries provided $30 million. Additional major donors included the Walton family, owners of Walmart. In early August, Americans for Prosperity Action launched a $5.6 million advertising campaign targeting seven U.S. Senate races in key states such as North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Alaska, Montana, and Iowa. The campaign has already produced advertisements supporting several prominent Republican figures, including former Representative Mike Rogers in Michigan, former Senator John Sununu in New Hampshire, Kurt Alme in Montana, Representative Ashley Hinson in Iowa, and Senator Jon Husted in Ohio. The group has also endorsed numerous Republican House candidates, including Tom Barrett, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Young Kim, Mark Teixeira, Eric Flores, Jeff Crank, and Gabe Evans. According to its latest Federal Election Commission report filed in July, Americans for Prosperity Action allocated at least $18.2 million toward independent expenditures, primarily in favor of its endorsed congressional candidates. The group has also invested significant sums in efforts to oppose Democratic Senate candidates, including Roy Cooper in North Carolina and Sherrod Brown in Ohio. During the 2024 presidential election, the PAC spent around $138.5 million on independent expenditures, with $92.8 million supporting Republican candidates and $35.7 million opposing Democratic contenders. Notably, the group endorsed former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination, choosing her over Donald Trump.