Duke University has been revealed to have donated more than a million dollars to Democratic-aligned candidates for the 2026 midterm cycle. Less than 3% of the funds went to Republican candidates.
According to data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and compiled by Campus Reform, of the $1,663,118.88 total employee contributions, $1,620,859.80 (97.46%) went to those linked to the Democratic platform. Only $42,259.08, or 2.54%, went to Republican-aligned candidates.
“The largest share of Duke-affiliated employee donations flowed to Democratic committees and progressive PACs,” the report explains. “The top recipient was ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s primary online fundraising platform, which received roughly $675,000 in contributions.” The next leading recipient was Unite the Country, a pro-Biden political action committee, which received about $300,000 in donations. Following that was the Democratic National Committee, which received about $165,000.
Other major recipients of the funds were Rep. Ro Khanna’s (D-CA) campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), each of which received about $100,000.
“Taken together, the top recipients include the Democratic Party’s principal online fundraising platform, its national governing body, congressional campaign committees, and multiple campaigns and advocacy groups aligned with progressive causes,” Campus Reform adds.
The university has previously been under scrutiny by the Trump administration for its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated over the summer, “If Duke illegally gives preferential treatment to law journal or medical school applicants based on those students’ immutable characteristics, that is an affront not only to civil rights law, but to the meritocratic character of academic excellence.”
“Blatantly discriminatory practices that are illegal under the Constitution, anti-discrimination law and Supreme Court precedent have become all too common in our education institutions,” she said. “The Trump administration will not allow them to continue.”
