President Joe Biden and several other high-profile Democrats accepted tens of millions of dollars from individuals and groups in the higher education sector over the last few campaign cycles.
Biden received more than $64.5 million in contributions from people in the higher education sector during his presidential campaign in 2020, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.
Democrats have been responsible for 70% of all political contributions from groups in the education industry since 2002, the Washington Examiner said Thursday.
Former President Donald Trump (No. 5, $8.9 million) was the only Republican among the top 20 recipients of 2020 contributions from the higher education sector.
The Examiner's report came a day after Biden said the U.S. government will forgive $10,000 in student loans for many debt-saddled college graduates, a move that could boost support for his fellow Democrats in the November congressional elections but also may fuel inflation.
Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; and Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., were Nos. 2-4 in terms of 2020 donations from the education sector. Sanders received $17.2 million, Warren $11.6 million and Ossoff $8.9.
So far, in 2022, Democrats continue to dominate the sector — especially those running for Senate seats.
Sens. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.; Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla.; Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, D-Pa., are the Top 5 recipients of education donations.
Warnock ($2.2 million), Kelly ($1 million), Demings ($634,142), Hassan ($487,288) and Fetterman ($463,547) all are seeking to retain or win a Senate seat in November’s midterms.
Biden (No. 8, $384,000) still ranked within the top 10 in the 2022 cycle despite not actively running a reelection campaign.
The Examiner reported that about 40 million people in the U.S. hold a collective $1.7 trillion in student loans.
Borrowers must earn less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 as a household to be eligible for Biden's cancellation program.
Pell Grant recipients can get up to $20,000 canceled, which the Biden administration is promoting as a way to close the racial wealth gap because black borrowers are twice as likely to receive the grants, the Examiner reported.
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