Political involvement
Mercer first became engaged in conservative politics in 2012 after Mitt Romney's defeat in the 2012 presidential election. She spoke to a group of wealthy conservative donors at the University Club of New York about what the Republican Party had done wrong in canvassing and technology operations during the election.[6]
The following year, in 2013, Mercer helped start Reclaim New York with Steve Bannon. The organization trains citizens to watch their government closely, and uses freedom of information laws to force the New York government to disclose public spending.[6]
In 2014, Mercer joined The Heritage Foundation's board of trustees.[6]
In September 2016, Politico called her "the most powerful woman in GOP politics."[12] She has been more aligned with the anti-establishment part of the Republican Party than most big Republican donors.[6] Newsmax Media owner Christopher Ruddy called her the "First Lady of the Alt-Right".[2]
Mercer supported Mitt Romney in the 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries.
2016 presidential election
In 2016, Mercer supported Ted Cruz in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries. She led Keep the Promise I, a Super PAC, which was the largest source of financial support in support of Cruz's campaign.[6]
After Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination, however, she and her father switched their support to Trump. Mercer supported Jeff Sessions for U.S. Attorney General and against Mitt Romney, who Trump was considering for U.S. Secretary of State.[2][13]
Mercer and her father contributed $25 million during the 2016 presidential election.[14]
In June 2016, Mercer created the
2016 presidential election
In 2016, Mercer supported Ted Cruz in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries. She led Keep the Promise I, a Super PAC, which was the largest source of financial support in support of Cruz's campaign.[6]
After Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination, however, she and her father switched their support to Trump. Mercer supported Jeff Sessions for U.S. Attorney General and against Mitt Romney, who Trump was considering for U.S. Secretary of State.[2][13]
Mercer and her father contributed $25 million during the 2016 presidential election.[14]
In June 2016, Mercer created the Defeat Crooked Hillary PAC, and ran the organization's daily operations.
Trump administration
Mercer directs the Mercer Family Foundation and served on the executive committee of Trump's first presidential transition team.[23]
People close to the transition said she opposed Corey Lewandowski as RNC chair, noting that Lewandowski had reportedly resisted paying for services from Cambridge Analytica, a data firm funded by the Mercers early in the campaign, though a close associate of Mercer's denied the stories.[24] Lewandowski was not, however, supported for the RNC position and did not obtain it. Paul Manafort, Kellyanne Conway's predecessor as campaign director, who was also said to be critical of Cambridge Analytica, had worked for Ted Cruz and was financially backed by the Mercers.[12] Conway reportedly said that, after Trump's inauguration, the expectation was that Mercer would likely lead an outside group, funded by her father, aimed at bolstering Trump's agenda. It was assumed that Cambridge Analytica would also assist the group's efforts.[9]
Breitbart News
Mercer and her father, Robert Mercer were key financial benefactors for Breitbart News. Larry Solov, the CEO of Breitbart, said in February 2017 that the Mercers are part-owners of the media outlet.[14] Robert Mercer announced in November 2017 that he had sold his stake in the website to his daughters.[3]
Cambridge Analytica
Cambridge Analytica was a privately held data mining and data analysis company with financial backing from the Mercers.[10] The Mercers invested in the company after Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election. On May 1, 2018, Cambridge Analytica and its parent company filed for insolvency proceedings and closed operations.[28][29]
Alexander Tayler, a former director for Cambridge Analytica, was appointed director of Emerdata on March 28, 2018.[30] Rebekah Mercer, Jennifer Mercer, Alexander Nix and Johnson Chun Shun Ko who has links to Erik Prince are in leadership positions at Emerdata.[31][32]
RAM Veterans Foundation
In May 2022, Mercer was credited with creating the RAM Veterans Foundation, named in honor of Robert Alexander Mercer who died in France during World War II. RAM Veterans Foundation is an organization that reviews and recommends veterans charities to donors at CharitiesForVets.org.[33]
Parler
In 2018, Mercer co-founded, and funded, the social media website Parler with John Matze Jr. and Jared Thomson. Mercer described herself in a Parler post as having "started Parler" with Matze.[34][4][35] The Parler board, allegedly controlled by Mercer, fired Parler CEO John Matze on January 29, 2021.[36]
As of early February 2021, Mercer holds the majority shares and, The Washington Post reported "increasingly pulls the strings" at Parler, controlling two-thirds of its board, and appointing other directors.[37]
American Museum of Natural History
Tax records indicate that the Mercer family donated millions of dollars to organizations that reject the scientific consensus regarding climate change.[38]
The Mercer family has contributed $4 million to the American Museum of Natural History, and Rebekah Mercer sat on the museum board of directors from 2013 to 2019.
In 2016, over 250 scientists penned an open letter calling for the museum to "end ties to anti-science propagandists and funders of climate science misinformation, and to have Rebekah Mercer leave the American Museum of Natural History Board of Trustees."[39]
In January 2018, a protest by the group Revolting Lesbians called for Mercer's removal from the board.[40] The protest followed the release of a letter from over 200 academics and scientists calling for the board to "end ties to anti-science propagandists and funders of climate science misinformation."[38]
Rockbridge Network and 1789 Capital
Mercer is a donor to the Rockbridge Network, a conservative political advocacy group. In 2022, Mercer co-founded 1789 Capital alongside fellow Rockbridge Network associates Omeed Malik and Chris Buskirk.[43][44]
