This list of richest American politicians includes current and former office-holders and political appointees, and is not necessarily adjusted for inflation. Estimated wealth is at least $100 million in 2012 dollars, for all the people listed here. The amounts listed here do not necessarily pertain to the politicians’ time in office (i.e. some of them may have gotten much richer later on, or lost their money before they ran for office).
Presidents
| Name | Party | Position | Date(s) | Estimated wealth (adjusted for inflation) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | Republican | President-elect | 2017–present | $4.5 billion[1] | Real estate, business, stock market, inheritance. |
| George Washington | Independent | President | 1789–1797 | $525 million[2] | Inheritance, business, and marriage. |
| Thomas Jefferson | Democratic-Republican | President | 1801–1809 | $212 million (died bankrupt)[2] | Inheritance, business. |
| John F. Kennedy | Democratic | President | 1961–1963 | $124 million[3] | Inheritance. |
| Theodore Roosevelt | Republican | President | 1901–1909 | $125 million[2] | Inheritance. |
| Andrew Jackson | Democratic | President | 1829–1837 | $119 million[2] | Marriage, business, and real estate. |
| James Madison | Democratic-Republican | President | 1809–1817 | $101 million[2] | Inheritance, business. |
Unsuccessful presidential candidates
| Name | Party | Position | Date(s) | Estimated wealth (not adjusted for inflation) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillary Clinton | Democratic | First Lady, U.S. Senator from New York, Secretary of State, Candidate for U.S. President |
1993–2001, 2001–2009, 2009–2013, 2008 and 2016 |
$31.3–111 million[4] | Former Walmart executive; paid speeches, book deals, and contributions to the Clinton Trust. |
| Mitt Romney | Republican | Candidate for U.S. Senator fromMassachusetts, Governor of Massachusetts, Candidate for U.S. President |
1994, 2003–2007, 2008 and 2012 |
$190–250 million[5] | Former CEO of Bain Capital and Bain & Company. |
| John Kerry | Democratic | U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, Candidate for U.S. President, Secretary of State |
1985–2013, 2004 2013–present |
$193 million[6] | Marriage. Current wife, Teresa Heinz, is the widow of H. John Heinz III, heir to H. J. Heinz Company. |
| Al Gore | Democratic | U.S. Senator from Tennessee, Vice President, Candidate for U.S. President |
1985–1993, 1993–2001, 2000 |
$100 million[7] | Inheritance. Son of attorney and US Senator Albert Gore Sr. who owned a stake inOccidental Petroleum, book and film deals. |
| Steve Forbes | Republican | Board for International Broadcasting, Candidate for U.S. President |
1985–1993, 1996 and 2000 |
$430 million[8] | Editor and publisher. |
| Ross Perot | Reform | Select Committee on Public Education, Candidate for U.S. President |
1983, 1992 and 1996 |
$4.1 billion[9] | Founded Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. |
| Ted Kennedy | Democratic | U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, Candidate for U.S. President |
1962–2009, 1980 |
$163 million[10] | Inherited much wealth – including a stake in The Chicago Merchandise Mart. |
| Nelson Rockefeller | Republican | Governor of New York, Vice President, Candidate for U.S. President |
1959–1973, 1974–1977, 1960s |
$1 billion[11] | Inheritance. Grandson of John D. Rockefeller. |
| James M. Cox | Democratic | Governor of Ohio, Candidate for U.S. President |
1913–1915 and 1917–1921, 1920 |
$40 million (D. 1950)[12] | Founded a chain of newspapers that continues today as Cox Enterprises, a media conglomerate. |
| Samuel J. Tilden | Democratic | Governor of New York, Candidate for U.S. President |
1875–1876, 1876 |
$8.5 million(D. 1886)[13] | Inheritance. His father and other family members were the makers of Tilden’s Extract, a popular patent medicine of the 1800s and early 1900s. Law practice, investments |
| John Hancock | Federalist | Governor of Massachusetts, Candidate for U.S. President |
1780–1785 and 1787–1793, 1789 |
$100 million[14] | Inherited much wealth – including a profitable mercantile business from his uncle. |
Other U.S. politicians
| Name | Party | Position | Date(s) | Estimated wealth (not adjusted for inflation) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Koch | Libertarian (currently aRepublican) |
Libertarian nominee for Vice President | 1980 | $44.2 billion[15][16] | Son of Fred Koch, founder of Koch Industries; VP of Koch Industries. |
| Michael Bloomberg | Independent | Mayor of New York City | 2002–2013[17] | $44.1 billion[18] | Founder of Bloomberg L.P. |
| Bill Haslam | Republican | Mayor of Knoxville, Governor of Tennessee |
2003-2011, 2011–present |
$2 billion[19] | Former CEO of the e-commerce and catalog division of Saks Fifth Avenue. Son of Jim Haslam, founder of Pilot Corporation. |
| Mark Dayton | Democratic | State Auditor of Minnesota, U.S. Senator fromMinnesota, Governor of Minnesota |
1991–1995, 2001–2007, 2011–present |
$1.6 billion | Great grandson of George Dayton, the founder of Target.[20] |
| Jim Justice | Democratic | Governor-elect of West Virginia[21][22] | 2017– | $1.59 billion[23] | Business (coal and agriculture) |
| Bruce Rauner | Republican | Governor of Illinois | 2015–present | $500 million+ | Chairman of GTCR. |
| Amo Houghton | Republican | Representative from New York | 1987–2005 | $475 million[24] | Former CEO of Corning Incorporated. |
| Jared Polis | Democratic | Representative fromColorado | 2009–present | $388 million[25] | Founder of ProFlowers |
| Jon Corzine | Democratic | US Senator from New Jersey, Governor of New Jersey |
2001–2006, 2006–2010 |
$300 million[24] | Former CEO of Goldman Sachs. |
| Michael McCaul | Republican | Representative from Texas | 2005–present | $294 million[6] | Son-in-law of Clear Channel Communications founder, Lowry Mays. |
| Mark Warner | Democratic | U.S. Senator from Virginia, Governor of Virginia |
2009–present, 2002-2006 |
$243 million[26] | Co-Founder of Nextel Communications |
| Darrell Issa | Republican | Candidate for U.S. Senatorfrom California, Representative fromCalifornia |
1998, 2001–present |
$220 million[6] | Businessman; founder of Directed Electronics. |
| Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. | Democratic | U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. | 1938–1940 | $200–400 million[27] | Investor, banker, filmmaker, Prohibition-era international liquor transporter. |
| Carl Paladino | Republican | Buffalo Public Schools board of education member, Candidate for Governor of New York |
2010 | $150 million[28] | Retail real estate developer. |
| Rick Scott | Republican | Governor of Florida | 2011–present | $147 million[29] | Founder of Columbia Hospital Corporation. |
| Arnold Schwarzenegger | Republican | Governor of California | 2003–2011 | $100–$200 million.[30] | Real estate, acting |
