Augusta, Maine – New reporting from American Journal News highlights how the same Republican groups working to reelect Susan Collins have raked in millions from oil and gas interests while Senate Republicans repeatedly voted to prolong the war in Iran.
The report notes that the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Senate Leadership Fund have received over $6.8 million from oil and gas companies, executives, and trade groups this year as fuel prices climbed and oil companies profited. During that same period, Collins voted six times to block war powers resolutions that could have helped bring the conflict to an end.
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American Journal News: As Iran War raised gas prices, oil interests sent $6.8M to Senate GOP
By Jesse Valentine
June 15, 2026
The two main groups responsible for electing Republicans to the U.S. Senate have taken large donations from the oil and gas industry.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the Senate Leadership Fund PAC (SLF) have received a combined $6.83 million this year from oil company PACs, executives, and trade groups, all while fuel prices rose as a result of the war in Iran.
During this same period, Senate Republicans facing reelection repeatedly voted to continue the war, helping sustain the huge profits oil companies were reaping from these higher costs.
“The reason why oil companies are doing so well right now, or at least are projected to do very well in the near term, is exactly because Americans are hurting,” Kelly Mitchell, who leads the oil and gas industry watchdog Fieldnotes, told the Guardian.
Since February, SLF has received $250,000 from Valero, $100,000 from Marquis Energy, and $2 million from Chevron. It also received $1 million from the American Petroleum Institute, the largest trade group representing domestic oil and gas companies.
Chevron is on track to make $9.2 billion from war profits alone this year. Valero’s stock value has jumped by 24% since the conflict began.
Billionaire Paul Singer personally gave $1.5 million to SLF and $310,000 to the NRSC. Singer’s venture capital firm, Elliott Investment Management, took over Citgo Petroleum earlier this year.
Former Sunoco CEO Sam Susser contributed $75,000 to the NRSC this year. Oil baron Philip Anschutz gave $150,000. […]
The American Exploration & Production Council, which represents independent oil producers, gave $100,000 to SLF. The group also received $750,000 from Koch Inc., the energy and oil refining conglomerate owned by far-right billionaire Charles Koch.
Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Ashley Moody of Florida, and Jon Husted of Ohio voted eight times to block war powers resolutions that could end the war. Maine Sen. Susan Collins voted to block the resolutions six times. […]
Collins and North Carolina Republican Michael Whatley have come under scrutiny for substantial oil and gas investments that enable them to personally profit from the war. […]
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