On November 5, 2024, Americans will take to the polls for an election whose results will be felt the world over. Although still months away, the election cycle and presidential hopefuls’ campaigns have already kicked off. Of course, candidates’ funds – including their own net worths – play an important part in their ability to campaign.
Read on for some of the richest candidates across party lines – and their estimated net worths, according to Forbes and Bloomberg.
5. Marianne Williamson (Democrat): US$2.5 million
Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson is largely considered a long shot in the political race. The self-help author and spiritual adviser launched her campaign in March – the first Democrat to do so. Per NBC, she also ran in 2020 and is a strong believer in increasing the federal minimum wage and “creating a legal fund for victims of police brutality”.
According to Forbes, most of her money is available in liquid assets, putting her in a unique position to cover any expenses as required. Her New York Times bestseller, A Return to Love, saw her reportedly build a strong relationship with Oprah Winfrey, even becoming her adviser, per Vox. A famous line from Williamson’s book often gets incorrectly credited to former South African president Nelson Mandela, according to the publication.Meet Rena Haley, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s daughter
4. Joe Biden (Democrat): US$10 million
When Biden took office in 2021, he was worth an estimated US$8 million. Per Forbes, his wealth has since grown to around US$10 million, mostly because of the increase in value of properties he owns. Per Bloomberg, Biden and his wife Jill listed an income of US$46,200 outside his government pay check. He also disclosed that he earned a small amount in royalties from his book, Promise Me, Dad, his memoir about his relationship with his son Beau, who died of brain cancer.
3. Robert Kennedy Jr (Independent): US$15 million
Kennedy is the son of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former president John F. Kennedy. In April, he launched his campaign for the White House, initially wanting to challenge President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary. Per CNN, he later said he would run as an independent candidate.
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2. Vivek Ramaswamy (Republican): US$880 million – US$1 billion
The Republican candidate hailing from Indian descent has made headlines for his seemingly unstoppable campaign events, taking part in 42 during a recent week, more than any other presidential hopeful. Per the Hindustan Times, Ramasamy insists there is no better way to win over voters than being present.
Per Forbes, the businessman is “entirely self-made”, with most of his money coming from the finance and biotech industries. He is the second richest overall candidate with fellow Republican Doug Burgum coming closest with an estimated net worth of US$100 million, per Forbes.
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Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in 2014, based on the ideal that there were still good drug options that had been rejected by pharmaceutical giants. Per Forbes, the company is valued at just under US$7 billion.
Chris Christie (US$15 million), Nikki Haley (US$8 million) and Francis Suarez (US$6 million) are also on Forbes’ list of the richest Republican candidates.
