It's unclear whether by the cycle's end point that the industry will exceed the $210.9 million it reached in the last presidential election cycle in 2020. But some construction groups have already topped their 2020 totals.

Construction industry contributions have long tended to flow to Republicans, while the building trades unions have heavily favored Democrats. Of the $793 million contributed by construction industry sector members since the 1990 cycle, two-thirds has gone to the GOP and one-third to Democrats.

That pattern is holding true this cycle, as 66.7% has gone to Republicans and 32.4% to Democrats.

The center, a nonprofit organization, includes in its construction sector category general contractors, home builders, special trade contractors (such as electricians and plumbers), construction services and building material and equipment companies.

Tracking AGC's PAC

The Associated General Contractors of America’s political action committee (PAC), as of Oct. 17 had contributed more than $1.2 million to federal candidates and committees, said Brian Turmail. AGC vice president, public affairs and strategic initiatives. That's up from $978,000 in the 2020 cycle.

Turmail also notes that because of regulations, PACs like AGC's "cannot publicly solicit funds."

He says that is why corporate member trade association PACs such as AGC's "are very limited in content" and online donation forms have various types of protections.

Turmail says these regulations are "why you won't see much content, if at all, on social media from these types of PACs."

ABC's Contributions Top 2020 Level

Over the years, the Associated Builders and Contractors has devoted all or nearly all of its campaign contributions to Republicans. This cycle is no exception. ABC has contributed a total of about $1.4 million, of which all but about $5,000 has gone to Republicans.

In all, ABC plans to raise $2.5 million and spend $2.2 million by the end of the 2024 cycle, said Kristen Swearingen, ABC vice president, legislative and political affairs, in a statement. That compares with about $1.3 million in the 2020 cycle. ABC ranks #9 on the Open Secrets construction list.

Swearingen adds that besides the monetary contributions, ABC’s Free Enterprise Alliance has initiated efforts in issue advocacy as well as “get-out-the-vote campaigns to support fair and open competition.”

ACEC's Bipartisan Approach

Another major engineering/construction organization—the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)—has taken an unusual approach in recent years to its campaign contributions.

Where construction sector groups generally back the GOP, ACEC ranks #3 on the Open Secrets list while essentially splitting its political donations between Democrats and Republicans. 

Steve Hall, ACEC executive vice president, said in an interview that the bipartisan approach dates from 2002 when group leaders said, “We need to balance out. We need to be more bipartisan.” 

That approach has continued and expanded since then, though he adds, “We do adapt to the times and we do adapt to political reality.”

Hall notes that many of the organization's members have previously served in state governments, where local ACEC chapters work with elected officials across party lines. "Our local chapters have very good relationships and so we want to keep those going.”

Hall adds, “It’s just smart business to work with both sides.”

ACEC contributions this cycle so far have passed $3 million, Hall says. He adds that ACEC may reach $3.4 million or $3.5 million by the end of the cycle.

Building Trades Lean Left 

Building trade unions’ donations are heavily leaning toward liberal groups and Democratic candidates as in past election cycles, according to OpenSecrets data. The carpenters, laborers, operating engineers, electrical workers, plumbers and pipefitters, sheet metal workers, painters, bricklayers and ironworkers unions all endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

“From the local level to the national level, LIUNA supports candidates who will fight to help improve life for our members,” Brent Booker, general president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, said in a statement to ENR. 

Booker pointed to workers’ right to join unions, Davis-Bacon prevailing wages, project labor agreements and investment in infrastructure as key issues supported by the union. 

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is the top donor among building trade unions this year, with most of the $29.3 million it has contributed going to liberal groups, along with about $1.9 million for Democrats and $262,000 to Republicans, OpenSecrets data show. 

The carpenters were also the top donor among building trade unions in the 2022 midterm and 2020 presidential cycles, though their spending so far this year is down from the $37 million they contributed in both of those prior elections. Still, the overall amount donated by building trades continued an upward trend this year as it has since 2006, according to OpenSecrets.

LIUNA was the second-largest political donor among building trade unions. 

“Our political action resources primarily come from the hard-earned, voluntary contributions of members, so who we support reflects them,” Booker said. “This cycle our investment has grown, as has our massive member-to-member mobilization effort—particularly in battleground states—working to complement our seven-figure digital ad outreach.”

The International Union of Operating Engineers saw the biggest increase in its donations compared to 2020, up from $5.8 million to $10.8 million, according to OpenSecrets. The union supported liberal groups mostly, giving them more than $8.2 million, along with $2.1 million to Democrats and $511,000 to Republicans.

Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, which includes the operating engineers and other building trade unions among its affiliates, said on a call with reporters Oct. 18 that union leaders have been working to reach members and other voters, particularly in swing states. 

Those efforts have focused on issues like the Project 2025 policy proposals published by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which include provisions that would weaken unions and workers’ rights if implemented, and Trump’s conflicting statements on overtime pay, which have included him saying he would remove a tax on overtime but also that he “used to hate to pay overtime” as a business owner and that he would “go out and get other people and let them work regular time.”

Related to Trump’s overtime pay comments, Shuler said they are "not just an attack on an issue,”  but "an attack on our members, their families, their livelihoods. They take it personally. So we’re running that video [of Trump] as a digital and streaming ad to an audience of 1.7 million union swing state voters.”