Tom Steyer
Climate-focused Democratic mega-donor; pro-democracy / anti-Trump framing.
Who they are.
Founder of Farallon Capital (which he left in 2012) and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. Steyer has been one of the largest individual Democratic donors of the past decade, with giving concentrated in climate-policy advocacy via NextGen America and (in 2017-2019) the Need to Impeach campaign against Donald Trump.
The chain.
- NextGen AmericaFounder & primary funder
- Need to ImpeachFounder (2017-2019)
- Future ForwardMajor donor
- Tom Steyer (D, 2020 presidential — self-funded)~$340M self-funded 2020 presidential primary run2020 · Withdrew after South Carolina primary; endorsed Biden
- Youth-voter mobilization / climate-focused candidatesTens of millions via NextGen America across multiple cycles2014-2024 · Funded major youth-voter-turnout operations
- Need to Impeach campaign vs. Donald Trump$50M+ in 2017-2019 issue advocacy2017-2019 · Trump impeached December 2019; acquitted by Senate
The targets.
On the record.
“I believe climate change is the most important issue facing our country and our planet, period.”
“Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our republic.”
Sources.
Questions about Tom Steyer.
How much did Steyer spend on his 2020 presidential run?
Steyer self-funded his 2020 Democratic primary campaign with roughly $340 million of his personal wealth before withdrawing after the South Carolina primary in February 2020. Combined with Bloomberg's roughly $1 billion, the 2020 Democratic primary featured the two most expensive self-funded presidential bids in US history simultaneously.
What is NextGen America?
NextGen America is the climate-and-youth-voter-mobilization organization founded by Steyer in 2013. It runs large-scale youth-voter-turnout operations on college campuses and in swing states, and remains one of the dominant climate-political organizations in Democratic infrastructure.
What was Need to Impeach?
Need to Impeach was Steyer's 2017-2019 issue-advocacy campaign calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump. Steyer reportedly spent over $50 million on TV ads and grassroots organizing under the campaign. Trump was impeached by the House in December 2019 (and again in 2021) but acquitted by the Senate both times.