From software engineers at Facebook and Google to drivers for Uber and warehouse workers for Amazon, the employees that power California’s technology industry donate to Bernie Sanders above all other presidential candidates, a Guardian analysis found.
The Vermont senator received the most money, from the highest number of individual donors among employees of Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Uber, Tesla and SpaceX, Oracle and Microsoft.
Overall, Elizabeth Warren came second in the money race from tech employees, followed by Pete Buttigieg, who dropped out late on Sunday. Buttigieg beat Warren to second place with Facebook and Microsoft donations, though Warren had more individual donors among the employees of both companies.
The analysis points to Sanders’ strong appeal in one of the most important states in the Democratic primary. Long considered little more than an ATM for presidential campaigns due to a late primary, California and its 415 pledged delegates have become the most coveted prize for the races on 3 March, known as Super Tuesday.
This analysis is based on campaign finance filings for the presidential campaigns through 31 January 2020. It includes donations greater than $200 made directly to campaigns, as well as smaller donations made through ActBlue, which processes online donations for Democratic candidates. The analysis is limited to voters who listed their home addresses in California.
Both sides of the great tech divide
The tech industry has a vast economic impact in California and employs a wide diversity of people. Amazon, for example, has a workforce that extends far beyond software engineering and common corporate roles to include television producers and actors (Amazon Studios); bakers, butchers and cashiers (Whole Foods); as well as warehouse workers and delivery drivers.
Of the 1,714 California donors who work for Amazon, an approximately equal number performed blue collar (856) and white collar (858) work, though the total from white-collar workers (approximately $96,000) was much higher than from blue-collar workers (approximately $34,000).
Sanders’s campaign has emphasized solidarity with workers – including organizing alongside Amazon warehouse workers campaigning for cleaner air – while taking shots at millionaires, whose ranks include many of Amazon’s higher-paid employees.
Sanders still dominated both sides of the class divide, however, receiving donations from 667 drivers or warehouse and retail workers, and 429 donations from professionals.
The same held true among those Californians who listed Uber as an employer. Of 545 Uber drivers, Sanders received the most donations and the highest sum (nearly $20,000 from 378 people). He also came first among Uber’s technical workforce, receiving more than $30,000 from 174 donors (of 384 who donated).
Among California software engineers – more than 12,000 in all – Sanders raised the most money (more than $1.1m) from the most individuals (6,508). Warren came second (with more than $580,000 from 3,262 people), followed by Buttigieg (about $180,000 from 1480 people).
More than 1,000 Californians who work in the gig economy (driving for Uber, Lyft, Postmates, GrubHub or Instacart) made donations, the vast majority of them (71%) to Sanders.
What about Trump?
To Republicans, California remains more a cash cow than a state they are trying to win. Donald Trump’s re-election campaign has raised more than $24m from donors in the state, but for the most part, that money is not coming from people employed in the tech industry.
At many of the largest companies, Trump donations number in the single digits. He’s received cash from three Facebook employees, four Amazonians, three Microsoft employees, and 13 Googlers.
Among all California software engineers, the president racked up just 69 donors, who gave him slightly more than $22,000.
Peter Andringa contributed reporting
