Billionaire heiress Elizabeth Simons has contributed significantly to the Democratic Party's efforts to regain control of the House of Representatives. Her donations totaling $354,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and additional funds to individual House candidates place her among the party's key supporters this election cycle.
These contributions come even as Simons has a history of supporting progressive causes and candidates, a stance that has sometimes put her at odds with the Democratic establishment. The DCCC, the primary fundraising arm for House Democrats, is currently led by Rep. Suzan DelBene, a member of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, under the guidance of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Simons, the chairwoman of the Heising-Simons Foundation, co-founded with her husband Mark Heising, has previously made substantial contributions to various initiatives. Last August, she donated $250,000 to a super PAC supporting Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist candidate who ran against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Heising-Simons Foundation has also directed millions toward progressive education, including $1.7 million for the Racial Justice in Early Mathematics Project at Chicago's Erikson Institute.
According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission data, Simons, along with three other major California donors—Patty Quillin, Quinn Delaney, and Kaitlyn Krieger—has contributed nearly $4 million to House Democrats and associated committees during this election cycle. Quillin, married to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, also donated over $300,000 to the DCCC, in addition to a $650,000 contribution to the Working Families Party, an organization focused on challenging the party establishment.
Krieger is married to Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger, and the pair lead a nonprofit dedicated to criminal justice reform. Delaney, founder and board chair of the Akonadi Foundation, focuses on movements aimed at eliminating structural racism. Her husband is California real estate developer Wayne Jordan.
The Republican National Committee has criticized these financial ties, with spokeswoman Emily Tuttle stating that Democrats are "being bankrolled to do it" and will be held accountable by voters for supporting what she termed a "radical, pro-crime platform."
Simons and her foundation did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding her donation strategy. Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-212 majority in the House of Representatives.