David Ellison, the son of Republican megadonor Larry Ellison, made a significant donation of $929,600 to support the re-election efforts of President Joe Biden. This donation is the largest ever made by the CEO of Skydance Media to a federal candidate, matching other large contributions made in the first quarter of 2024 by individuals such as George Conway and Dustin Moskowitz. Interestingly, Larry Ellison, who has historically been a major GOP donor, has not made any federal political donations in 2024, despite contributing over $31 million to Republican candidates during the 2022 congressional midterms.
Charles Myers, a former vice chairman at investment bank Evercore and a Biden campaign bundler, described David Ellison’s donation as a “very big deal” due to his family ties, comparing it to a scenario where one of the Soros sons would be writing huge checks to Trump. In an effort to secure David Ellison’s support and donation, Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, who is co-chair of Biden’s campaign, orchestrated a meeting between David Ellison and Biden, which took place in December at the home of real estate investor and Biden donor Kurt Rappaport. David Ellison ultimately made his donation to the Biden Victory Fund after attending this private event.
The Biden Victory Fund, which supports the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and state parties, received a significant boost from David Ellison’s donation, helping raise over $121 million in the first quarter of 2024. This fund is crucial in building a campaign war chest large enough to effectively compete against the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in the upcoming presidential election. Despite Larry Ellison supporting different candidates in the 2024 election, he and David Ellison are working together on a major media deal involving Skydance Media’s offer to acquire National Amusements and merge with Paramount Pictures.
Though Larry Ellison did not contribute to Sen. Tim Scott’s presidential campaign, he is reportedly trying to sell Scott to Trump’s team as a potential running mate for the former president. The Ellisons’ divergent political involvements in the 2024 election highlight their differing stances, with David supporting Biden while Larry has refrained from making any political donations this year. The impact of David Ellison’s donation, alongside contributions from other high-profile donors, underscores the significant role of wealthy individuals in funding political campaigns and shaping the electoral landscape. The dynamics of political fundraising and family ties within the Ellison family may continue to influence the 2024 election and forthcoming media deals.
