Has the hedge fund industry really abandoned Barack Obama? Clearly, the industry’s 2008 honeymoon period with the President is over, but Obama’s recently released list of top fundraisers, better known as bundlers, includes many names from hedge funds and funds of funds.
The largest supporters as of the third quarter of 2011 include David Shaw, founder of D. E. Shaw & Co. and Orin Kramer of Boston Provident.
Big name former supporters like Dan Loeb of Third Point and Ken Griffin of Citadel have publically criticized the President, while others, including Paul Singer of Elliott Management and John Paulson of Paulson & Co., support Mitt Romney, the apparent industry darling.
Romney has received $74,000 from individual hedge fund donors, beating Obama’s $59,962, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. Overall, hedge fund employees support Republicans over Democrats, with
60% of more than $4 million in 2012 campaign contributions going to
Democrats, according to CRP. His popularity among hedge funds has grown following Chris Christie's decision not to run despite support from Stanley Druckenmiller, formerly of Duquesne Capital Management, and David Tepper of Appaloosa Management.
| Name | Firm | Amount |
| Brian Mathis | Longship Capital Management / Provident Group Asset Management | More than $500,000 |
| Orin Kramer | Boston Provident | More than $500,000 |
| David & Beth Shaw | D.E. Shaw | $200,000 to $500,000 |
| Frank Brosens | Taconic Capital Advisors | $200,000 to $500,000 |
| Michael Sacks | Grosvenor Capital Management | $200,000 to $500,000 |
| Naomi Aberly (wife of former HBK chairman Larry Lebowitz) | HBK Capital Management | $200,000 to $500,000 |
| Chad Leat | Citigroup Alternative Asset Group | $100,000 to $200,000 |
| Jim Torrey | The Torrey Funds | $100,000 to $200,000 |
| Stephen Robert | Renaissance Institutional Management | $100,000 to $200,000 |
| Alice & Bill Mahoney | Ex-Bridgewater Associates | $100,000 to $200,000 |
| Marc Lasry | Avenue Capital Group | $100,000 to $200,000 |
| Eric Mindich | Eton Park Capital Management | $50,000 to $100,000 |
| Tom Steyer | Farallon Capital Management | $50,000 to $100,000 |
| Andrew Fishman | Schonfeld Group Holdings President | $50,000 to $100,000 |
| Peter Novello | Far Hills Group | $50,000 to $100,000 |
See also: Looking back at an Obama backlash