Thiel's picks split key Arizona, Ohio Senate races after billionaire spent $32 million on midterms

Billionaire and Republican megadonor Peter Thiel's $32 cardinal concern successful the 2022 midterm elections saw mixed results, arsenic 2 of his erstwhile employees divided U.S. Senate races that volition assistance to determine power of the chamber.

In Ohio, Republican J.D. Vance defended a GOP-held spot against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan. While Thiel notably opted against backing Vance successful the wide predetermination successful the progressively reddish state, his $15 cardinal donation to a pro-Vance ace PAC helped the campaigner look from a crowded GOP superior to regenerate the retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman. Vance once worked at concern steadfast Mithril Capital, which Thiel co-founded.

Thiel alternatively opted to heap much wealth into Republican Blake Masters' bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly successful Arizona. Kelly bushed backmost the challenge, NBC News projected, arsenic helium led Masters by much than 5 percent points. With Kelly's win, Democrats request to prevail successful 1 of the 2 uncalled races successful Nevada and Georgia to support their majority.

Thiel took a peculiar involvement successful helping Masters, who erstwhile was main operating serviceman astatine Thiel Capital. The task capitalist, who has an estimated nett worthy of implicit $4 billion, hosted fundraisers and actively utilized his extended web to rise wealth for the Masters run successful the last months of the election.

Thiel jolted Masters' Senate bid aboriginal connected with a $15 cardinal donation to a pro-Masters ace PAC during Arizona's superior election, according to Federal Election Commission records. He gave different $2.5 cardinal to the PAC successful October, conscionable weeks earlier Election Day.

Thiel chipped successful smaller amounts to different Republican legislature candidates astir the state during the midterms. The recipients were mostly incumbents moving successful harmless House seats.

The PayPal co-founder gave $2,900 during the primaries to Republican Rep. Ted Budd, who defeated Democrat Cheri Beasley successful the contention to go North Carolina's adjacent U.S. senator. The magnitude is the astir an idiosyncratic tin legally springiness to a run itself — arsenic opposed to a pro-candidate PAC — successful the superior oregon wide election.

Thiel donated to 7 different midterm candidates successful races NBC News has projected. Only 1 of those candidates lost, according to NBC.

Republican Joe Budd, who saw 2 $2,900 checks from Thiel, mislaid to Democrat Jared Moskowitz successful a conflict to correspond Florida's 23rd legislature district, according to NBC News. One of those contributions was earmarked for Budd's palmy superior tally and the different for his wide predetermination combat against Moskowitz, according to FEC records.

Records amusement that Thiel contributed akin amounts to Republican Reps. Mike McCaul, Chris Stewart, Michael Waltz, Tom Cole and Mario Diaz-Balart. All of them are projected to beryllium reelected to Congress, according to NBC News.