July 1, 2015 — MapLight examined the political spending of Iowa’s five largest public companies, including the amount they spent lobbying Congress and federal agencies, and the amount their political action committees contributed to federal candidates. The analysis also highlights stock ownership in these companies by members of Congress.
In addition to holding the first caucus in the nation, Iowa is home to a number of major political donors, including agribusiness mogul Bruce Rastetter, a major Republican donor who held an agriculture summit in March that attracted most of the major Republican presidential candidates. Iowa is also home to the American Future Fund, a dark money nonprofit that spent more than $25.4 million during the last presidential election in 2012.

Iowa Companies on the Fortune 1000
American Equity Investment Life Holding Co.
Casey’s General Stores, Inc.
HNI Corporation
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
Principal Financial Group, Inc.

Lobbying Data: MapLight analysis of money spent by Rockwell Collins, Inc., Principal Financial Group, Inc., and the American Equity Investment Life Holding Co., on lobbying Congress and federal agencies from January 1, 2009 to March 31, 2015. MapLight Lobbying Database Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. All numbers are based on latest data available as of April 8, 2015.
During the first quarter of 2015, the companies spent a combined $1.2 million on lobbying. The top spender, Principal Financial Group, Inc., spent $910,000 in the first quarter of 2015.