Celebrity midterms: Who's giving money to the Democrats, GOP

LOS ANGELES – Midterm elections don't usually generate the same kind of celebrity interest that contests do during a presidential election year.

"The midterms – in Obama’s own words – are 'less sexy' for donations than presidential elections," said Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR. "Big-league celebrities like being surrounded by big league business people and big league politicians. Uber-local candidates are simply not as exciting."

But with both houses in Congress up for grabs this year, there are still a lot of Hollywood heavyweights ponying up cash. In fact, celebrities have poured $13 million on candidates in this two-year campaign cycle, with the vast majority of it going to Democratic candidates. Here then is a sample of each.

Democratic contributors:

--Stephen Spielberg: Okay take a deep breath -- $5,200 to Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ); $2,600 to Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC); $2,600 to Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR); $5,200 to Alison Grimes (D-KY);  $2,600 to Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA); $5,200 to Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA); $2,600 to Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO);  $2,600 to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); $10,400 to Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI); $2,600 to Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE); $32,400 to Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; $100,000 to Senate Majority PAC

--J.J Abrams: $20,000 to the DSCC; $10,000 to the DCCC

--Barbara Streisand: $24,400 to the DCCC

--Oprah Winfrey: $26,000 to Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

--Matt Damon: $10,400 to Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

--Ben Affleck: $7,500 to Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ); $5,200 to Alison Grimes (D-KY). (Grimes also received checks from Danny DeVito, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Black, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Tom Hanks, James Cameron, Cameron Diaz and Nicholas Cage.)

--Gwyneth Paltrow: $1,500 to Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY)

--Anna Wintour: $2,500 to Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY)

--Brad Pitt: $5,000 to Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

Republican contributors:

--Jerry Bruckheimer: $1,000 to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

--Marlo Thomas: $2,600 to Sen. Susan M Collins (R-ME)

--Donald Trump: More than $100,000 spread across 15 GOP candidates

--Denver Broncos Quarterback Peyton Manning: $5,200 to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

--Denver Broncos General Manager and Executive VP of Football Operations John Elway: $1,000 to Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO)

--Scott Baio: $500 to Assemb. Tony Strickland (R-CA)

Again, this is just a selection, but it mirrors the fact that most Hollywood cash is going into the pockets of the Democrats.

“One of the few remaining biases still accepted in Hollywood seems to be bias against Republicans,” explained Torossian. “Celebrities are either liberal and lean Democratic – or quiet. That’s how it always has been.”

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