Tonight's GOP Debate Contestants, Ranked by Net Worth
Tonight, at 8pm, the top 10 Republican candidates for President of the United States will, once again, send Twitter into a frenzy as they brawl on stage for the third (fourth? eighth?) time. But this time, these ten (mostly) wildly wealthy clowns will fight over what makes the world go round: tech policy! And of course, money.
So since these potential overseers of our country’s inevitable downfall will be pretending to understand the plight of the everyman and his checkbook, let’s see just how far these men and Carly Fiorina will have to fall to fake it. Here is each of tonight’s GOP debate contestants ranked by net worth, using data from OpenSecrets.org and USA Today. And may the biggest Super PAC win.
1. Donald Trump
Net Worth: Between $2.9 and 10 billion
2014/early 2015 Income: Between $456 and 543 million
Philanthropy: Trump claims he’s donated $102 million worth of “cash and land” to charities over the past five years. He has yet to release the records necessary to prove it.
Tell us about money, Donald: “It has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me. I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars. I came into Manhattan, and I had to pay him back, and I had to pay him back with interest.”
2. Carly Fiorina
Net Worth: $59 million
2013 Income: About $2 million
Philanthropy: $261,426 in 2013
Tell us about the economy, Carly: “I have a deep understanding of how the economy works, having started as a secretary and become the chief executive of the largest technology company in the world.” [Carly Fiorina destroyed HP.]
3. Jeb Bush
Net Worth: Between $19 and 22 million
Income 2014: About $8.3 million
Philanthropy: $110,616 in 2013
Who do you want on the $10 bill, Jeb?: “I would go with Ronald Reagan’s partner: Margaret Thatcher.” [Too bad foreigners aren’t eligible, pal.]
4. John Kasich
Net Worth: Between $9 and 22 million
2014 Income: Not yet disclosed, though as Governor of Ohio in 2010, John Kasich made $144,269.
Philanthropy: Not disclosed.
Tell us about the legendary union kings of America, John: “I’ll tell you what the unions do, unfortunately too much of the time. There’s a constant negative comment, ‘They’re going to take your benefits, they’re going to take your pay.’ So if I were, not president, but if I were king in America, I would abolish all teachers’ lounges, where they sit together and worry about, ‘Woe is us.’”
5. Ben Carson
Net Worth: $10 million
2014 Income: Between $8 and 27 million (book royalties!)
Philanthropy: Not disclosed.
Tell us about taxes, Ben: “What we need to do is come up with something simple. And when I pick up my Bible, you know what I see? I see the fairest individual in the universe, God, and he’s given us a system. It’s called a tithe.”
6. Mike Huckabee
Net Worth: Between $5 and 7 million
2014 Income: $4 million
Philanthropy: Not disclosed.
Tell us about pimps, Mike: “The money paid in consumption is paid by everybody including illegals, prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, all the people that are freeloading off the system now.”
7. Chris Christie
Net Worth: $3 million
Philanthropy: $28,000 in 2014
Tell us about your record for killing jobs, Chris: “You know something may go down tonight, but it ain’t gonna be jobs, sweetheart.”
8. Ted Cruz
Net Worth: $3 million
2014 Income: 1.2 million
Philanthropy: Not disclosed.
Tell us about the internet, Ted: “Net Neutrality”is Obamacare for the internet.”
9. Rand Paul
Net Worth: $1.3 million
2014 Income: Not yet disclosed, though in 2012’s filing, Rand Paul cited making $300,000 that year.
Philanthropy: Not disclosed, but he does give aways lots of free eye surgeries!
Tell us about the poors, Rand: “The thing is, income inequality is due to some people working harder and selling more things. If people voluntarily buy more of your stuff, you’ll have more money.”
10. Marco Rubio
Net Worth: $443,500
2014 Income: $339,000
Philanthropy: According to his campaign, Rubio made about $66,000 in donations over six years, which “went to a community church.”
Tell us about the economy, Marco: “What I have a problem with is these changes to our law that somehow politicians say are going to change our weather. That’s absurd. ... [T]o say you are going to pass a bill that’s going to change the weather is a lie and you’re going to devastate our economy.”
Contact the author at ashley@gawker.com. Images via AP, art by Jim Cooke.
