Tobacco Money in Politics

Find out if your representative takes tobacco money and how they vote on tobacco related bills.

California State Senate

Since 2016 eleven (11) state senators have accepted a total of $387,800 in tobacco industry contributions.  Seven Republicans accepted $323,500 and four Democrats accepted a total of $64,300.  None of the four democrats accepting tobacco money voted against any tobacco related bills.  One Democrat not accepting tobacco money did vote against banning the sale o flavored tobacco in California as did one Republican.

Check how much money your California State Senator accepted from the tobacco industry and how they voted here.

California State Assembly

Since 2016, California state assembly members have accepted a total of $903,150 in tobacco industry contributions.  Seventeen of the eighteen Republicans in the Assembly accepted a total of $648,000 and ten of the thirty one Democrats accepted $255,150.  None of the ten Democrats voted against any tobacco measures, although three did not have votes recorded.  No Republican voted in favor of banning the sale of favored tobacco products in California.

Check how your Assembly member accepted from the tobacco industry and how they voted here.

US Senate

Since 2010 current members of the US Senate have taken in over $2,597,565 in contributions from the tobacco industry.  Two thirds of that or $1,756,090 went to forty six (46) of the 48 (48) Republicans,  $ 792,716 to thirty eight (38) of the forty eight (48) Democrats and $48,759 to two (2) of the three (3) Independents.

The heaviest contributions went to Senators in tobacco growing states (VA, NC, KY, TN) regardless of party.  The only contributions exceeding $100,000 to a Senator from a non-tobacco growing state is to Mitt Romney from UT.

To see how much your Senator has taken click here:  US Senate-TIContribs_3.2024.

US House of Representatives (CA)

From 2010 until 2024 the tobacco industry contributed a total of $732,403 to current California members of the US House or Representatives.  Of that amount, $501 384 went to Republican members.  Of the contributions to Republicans, $308,453 went to Kevin McCarthy who was House Minority Leader and the Speaker of the House.  He resigned earlier this year.

There has been very little legislation on regulating tobacco products in the last 15 years other than the Family Smoking and prevention act passed in 2009.  Most members of the house were elected after that time.  The three “no” votes taken on the act were cast by Republicans, two of whom took tobacco industry contributions.

While a number of Democrats did take tobacco industry contributions all those that were in the House at the time voted in favor of the Family Smoking and Prevention Act.

You can check out how much, if any, money your Representative took from the industry and their voting record here: California House of Representatives.