Over the course of 2022, Emory employees have thus far made 5,909 individual donations to U.S. Senate and congressional candidates as well as related political organizations and political action committees (PACs), totaling $679,760.30.
Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) received $58,997.07 through 531 individual Emory faculty contributions through Warnock for Georgia and the Warnock Victory Fund, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data. Of these donations, 525 contributions totaling $55,707.47 went to Warnock for Georgia.
Far fewer Emory employees donated to Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker — Team Herschel, Inc. received 15 donations from an Emory employee, totaling $399.90. Employees did not donate to Walker through any other organizations, including Team Herschel’s People’s Champion Committee, Team Herschel Victory Committee, Run Herschel Run PAC and Herschel Walker for Georgia Victory Fund.
In total, Warnock and Walker’s campaigns directly received $59,396.97 from Emory employees, divided among 540 individual contributions. No Emory employees donated to Libertarian Senate candidate Chase Oliver.
Emory staff contributions follow state-wide trends between the two candidates for Senate. Donors across Georgia and beyond contributed more than $26.3 million to Warnock between July 1 and Sept. 30, while Walker trails behind, having raised $12 million in the same time period.
Emory affiliates are the fourth largest contributor to Warnock’s campaign, beating those of Microsoft, Apple and Amazon.
Emory employees also donated to PACs representing Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) and Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams in Georgia’s gubernatorial race.
In Congressional races, Emory employees contributed the most to candidates Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D-13), Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath (D-6) and Georgia Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-7) since Jan. 1, 2022. Kelly received $31,810 across 33 donations, while Ryan raised $22,061.32 with 40 donations. McBath followed with $8,250 through 32 donations. Bourdeaux received $1,200 from seven donations.
Emory Professor in the Practice of Business Law Allison Burdette said she donated to John Fetterman, who is the Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania’s Senate race, Ryan and Warnock. Over the course of 22 individual donations since the start of 2022, Burdette has given $650 to Tim Ryan for Ohio and $1,147.50 to ActBlue, a PAC and online crowdfunding platform for funding left-leaning candidates.
When asked why she donated to these candidates, Burdette noted her attraction to their character. She said Fetterman “seems like an ‘everyman,’” Ryan “cuts through politics and talks with heart” and Warnock “has done an exceptional job representing Georgia.”
Although she did not donate to his campaign, Burdette admitted to having a soft spot for Walker because she received an autograph from the former NFL star during a high school track meet.
David Howard, an associate professor at the Rollins School of Public Health, was similarly motivated by candidates’ character but donated to Republican campaigns. Howard said he donated to Wyoming Rep. Elizabeth Cheney (R-at large district), South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace (R-1) and Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. He gave one donation of $250 to WinRed and one donation of $250 to Nancy Mace for Congress.
“I’m worried about the direction of the Republican Party,” Howard said. “I generally support moderate Republicans who don’t kowtow to Trump.”
Howard added that he appreciates candidates like Cheney and Raffensperger who “put the right decision above party line” and are not afraid to make decisions that may be unpopular and threaten their upcoming elections.
George Mitchell, a histocompatibility technologist for Emory Healthcare, is the only Emory employee who is listed by the FEC as donating to Team Herschel, Inc. Mitchell did not respond for comment.
Among Emory faculty, the largest contributors were Charles Howard Candler Professor and Chair of African American Studies Carol Anderson, who donated $41,847.05, Professor of Classics Christine Perkell, who donated$2,368.59 and the Goodrich C. White Professor of Film and Media Studies Matthew Bernstein. Bernstein led the pack, donating $389,827.02 throughout 2022 and over $1 million during the course of his tenure at Emory.
“My wife and I care deeply about ensuring democracy continues in America, a woman’s right to choose, sensible gun safety laws and the climate crisis,” Bernstein said.
