About My Opponent

The heirs of Walmart Inc. founder Sam Walton are well known for philanthropic giving, especially in their hometown of Bentonville and throughout Northwest Arkansas. But the nation's richest family also generously supports candidates, parties and causes across the political spectrum.

 

Despite the family's long-standing connection with Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and Walmart board member, the children and grandchildren of Sam and Helen Walton have long backed mainly conservative candidates and groups. However, new data shows some family members shifted their donations more to the left in recent years.

 

One has given money to the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden and another donated to the Lincoln Project, a political action committee formed by Republicans aiming to prevent the reelection of President Donald Trump.

 

A thorough search of Federal Election Commission records didn't turn up any direct Walton support for Trump, either in 2016 or 2020.

 

Political donations are posted on OpenSecrets.org, the website of the nonprofit research group Center for Responsive Politics. The center gets the information from the Federal Election Commission. It received the latest figures on Sept. 21.

 

The Walmart heirs include Rob, Jim and Alice Walton, the surviving children of Sam and Helen Walton. Another son, John, died when his home-built aircraft crashed in 2005. His widow, Christy, inherited a small part of John Walton's fortune, with the rest going to their son, Lukas Walton, and various charities.

 

Lukas and seven more Waltons make up the second generation. Rob Walton has three children: Sam, Carrie Walton Penner and Ben. Jim Walton added four to the clan: daughter Alice Ann Walton Proietti and sons Steuart, Tom and James. Several of them, along with their aunt Alice, take an active role in the family's charitable arm, the Walton Family Foundation, and in various nonprofits.

 

Like all families, the Waltons seem to hold diverse political views. Some, like Jim Walton, look to be staunchly conservative, based on their political contributions.

Jim Walton, who has supported the campaigns of Republican congressmen Steve Womack and French Hill, both of Arkansas, also earlier this year gave $5,600 to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

 

In addition, Walton donated $20,000 both this year and in 2019 to the California Republican Party, and this year alone has given $143,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

 

Big brother Rob Walton has donated mostly to Republican candidates, according to records dating to 1997. However, in that year he gave $1,000 to Arkansas Democrat and former U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

 

Most recently, Rob Walton has donated to U.S. Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Rob Portman, R-Ohio.

 

Alice Walton's donation history paints a more complex picture than that of her brothers. From at least the early 2000s through 2012, records show she gave solely to Republican candidates and party organizations.

There were only two exceptions to that pattern during those years -- modest donations to Lincoln, and Hillary Clinton.

 

Then in November 2013, a $25,000 donation to a group called Ready for Hillary seemed to signal a shift in her political ideology. From then on, Alice Walton has almost solely supported Democratic candidates and state and national Democratic parties.

The founder of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art continues to support Womack. She gave $5,400 to his 2018 campaign and $5,600 this year.

 

Also on the liberal side of the family, Christy Walton has given $30,000 to the Lincoln Project as of Sept. 21. In 2019, her donations included $25,000 to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which works to elect openly gay candidates, and another $25,000 to Planned Parenthood.