Top Ten Super PAC Contributors

The Dallas-based billionaire owner of Contran Corp., a chemicals and metals manufacturer, bet early and often on Republican candidates that he thought had the best chance of unseating President Obama. While he donated to the Super PACs backing Newt Gingri

Sheldon and Miriam Adelson The Dallas-based billionaire owner of Contran Corp., a chemicals and metals manufacturer, bet early and often on Republican candidates that he thought had the best chance of unseating President Obama. While he donated to the Super PACs backing Newt Gingri

The support of casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson is still up for grabs

Reuters/Steve Marcus

Harold and Annette Simmons The Dallas-based billionaire owner of Contran Corp., a chemicals and metals manufacturer, bet early and often on Republican candidates that he thought had the best chance of unseating President Obama. While he donated to the Super PACs backing Newt Gingri The Dallas-based billionaire owner of Contran Corp., a chemicals and metals manufacturer, bet early and often on Republican candidates that he thought had the best chance of unseating President Obama. While he donated to the Super PACs backing Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum before settling on Romney, his biggest contributions have gone to American Crossroads, the Super Pac associated with Karl Rove, President George W. Bush’s top political adviser. Reuters/Newscom Handout/Flor Cordero

Houston homebuilder Bob Perry is no stranger to making major contributions to outside groups. He was a major backer of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth whose 2004 ads helped sink the presidential hopes of Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. This year, he b

Bob Perry Houston homebuilder Bob Perry is no stranger to making major contributions to outside groups. He was a major backer of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth whose 2004 ads helped sink the presidential hopes of Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. This year, he b Houston homebuilder Bob Perry is no stranger to making major contributions to outside groups. He was a major backer of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth whose 2004 ads helped sink the presidential hopes of Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. This year, he backed Rick Perry after he joined the race but has given most of his Super PAC contributions to Mitt Romney’s Restore Our Future. BobPerry.us

The NEA is the nation’s largest teachers union, representing an estimated 3.2 million public school employees. The group has been on the defensive since Republicans took control of a major of statehouses in the 2010 election. It led a major effort to reca

National Education Association The NEA is the nation’s largest teachers union, representing an estimated 3.2 million public school employees. The group has been on the defensive since Republicans took control of a major of statehouses in the 2010 election. It led a major effort to reca The NEA is the nation’s largest teachers union, representing an estimated 3.2 million public school employees. The group has been on the defensive since Republicans took control of a major of statehouses in the 2010 election. It led a major effort to recall Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, which failed, but succeeded in rolling back Ohio’s repeal of public employee collective bargaining rights. Reuters/Eric Feferberg/Pool

SEIU’s 2.1 million members include over one million health care workers and over one million public employees, including blue- and pink-collar workers in health care, public education and child care. The group was a major supporter of the Affordable Care

Service Employees International Union SEIU’s 2.1 million members include over one million health care workers and over one million public employees, including blue- and pink-collar workers in health care, public education and child care. The group was a major supporter of the Affordable Care SEIU’s 2.1 million members include over one million health care workers and over one million public employees, including blue- and pink-collar workers in health care, public education and child care. The group was a major supporter of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, and is working overtime to prevent its repeal. Along with NEA, it has led resistance to Republican efforts at the state and local level to restrict public employees’ collective bargaining rights. Getty Images

With a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, Thiel – the German-born American hedge fund manager, venture capitalist, co-founder of PayPal, and early Facebook investor – is a long-time supporter of Texas congressman Ron Paul’s multiple runs for the White Ho

Peter Thiel With a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, Thiel – the German-born American hedge fund manager, venture capitalist, co-founder of PayPal, and early Facebook investor – is a long-time supporter of Texas congressman Ron Paul’s multiple runs for the White Ho With a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, Thiel – the German-born American hedge fund manager, venture capitalist, co-founder of PayPal, and early Facebook investor – is a long-time supporter of Texas congressman Ron Paul’s multiple runs for the White House. A staunch libertarian, the 44-year-old Thiel along with other donors gave $3.9 million to the pro-Paul Endorse Liberty Super PAC while chipping in $1 million to the Club for Growth, which described him as a “great American” and a “defender of liberty.” Reuters/Yuri Gripas

Chicagoan Fred Eychaner, 67, is a top financier and bundler for Democratic PACs and candidates. He’s already directly raised $500,000 for President Obama in 2012 in addition to his Super PAC giving. Though he owns Newsweb Corporation, a commercial printer

Fred Eychaner Chicagoan Fred Eychaner, 67, is a top financier and bundler for Democratic PACs and candidates. He’s already directly raised $500,000 for President Obama in 2012 in addition to his Super PAC giving. Though he owns Newsweb Corporation, a commercial printer Chicagoan Fred Eychaner, 67, is a top financier and bundler for Democratic PACs and candidates. He’s already directly raised $500,000 for President Obama in 2012 in addition to his Super PAC giving. Though he owns Newsweb Corporation, a commercial printer, radio stations and a TV station, he rarely gives interviews. The Chicago Tribune in 2005 reported the “frugal” donor drives “a 1999 Ford Escort, flies coach, owns just three suits and sometimes stays at budget motels.” Reuters/Tobias Schwarz/The Fiscal Times

Owned primarily by Dallas industrialist Harold Simmons, a generous GOP donor, Contran Corporation is a vast holding company that’s given some $3 million to the Karl Rove-backed American Crossroads and to Make Us Great Again, created to support Rick Perry’

Contran Corporation Owned primarily by Dallas industrialist Harold Simmons, a generous GOP donor, Contran Corporation is a vast holding company that’s given some $3 million to the Karl Rove-backed American Crossroads and to Make Us Great Again, created to support Rick Perry’ Owned primarily by Dallas industrialist Harold Simmons, a generous GOP donor, Contran Corporation is a vast holding company that’s given some $3 million to the Karl Rove-backed American Crossroads and to Make Us Great Again, created to support Rick Perry’s presidential bid. Contran owns stakes in a number of subsidiaries, including Valhi, Inc., and in chemical companies (NL Industries and Kronos Worldwide); metals (Titanium Metals Corporation); and computer support systems and security products (CompX International). In 2011, Simmons and Contran gave at least $8.5 million to Super PACs supporting GOP candidates for president. Contran Corporation/The Fiscal Times

Perenchio, 81, built a fortune as co-owner as of Univision, the Spanish-language TV network, and is the son of an Italian immigrant – so it hasn’t escaped notice that he’s donated generously to Super PACs that have backed candidates described as tough on

Jerry Perenchio Perenchio, 81, built a fortune as co-owner as of Univision, the Spanish-language TV network, and is the son of an Italian immigrant – so it hasn’t escaped notice that he’s donated generously to Super PACs that have backed candidates described as tough on Perenchio, 81, built a fortune as co-owner as of Univision, the Spanish-language TV network, and is the son of an Italian immigrant – so it hasn’t escaped notice that he’s donated generously to Super PACs that have backed candidates described as tough on immigration. Perenchio’s contributions this election cycle make him one of the biggest known campaign donors, according to Federal Election Commission records and The Huffington Post. He’s given to Super PACS that support Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman and to American Crossroads. Hollywoodreporter.com