Money and politics. They’re basically a package deal at this point.
When you look at the halls of the 119th Congress in early 2026, you aren't just looking at lawmakers; you’re looking at a collection of some of the most successful (and inherited) wealth in America. While the base salary for a rank-and-file member is still stuck at $174,000—a figure that hasn't budged since 2009—many of these folks are playing an entirely different game.
Honestly, the wealth gap between the average American and the people representing them is kind of staggering.
We aren't talking about a few extra bucks in a savings account. We’re talking about hospital empires, storage unit dynasties, and stock portfolios that would make a Wall Street hedge fund manager blush. If you’ve ever wondered why certain names like Rick Scott or Nancy Pelosi keep popping up in financial news, it’s because their "day job" in D.C. is probably the least lucrative part of their lives.
The Heavy Hitters: Richest People in Congress Right Now
The leaderboard for the richest people in congress shifted significantly after the 2024 elections and into 2026. New faces brought massive private-sector fortunes to the floor.
Jim Justice: The Billionaire (Sorta) in the Senate
West Virginia’s Jim Justice isn't just a Senator; he’s a coal and hospitality magnate. For a while, he was the state's only billionaire, though lawsuits and debt have fluctuated those numbers. Currently, his net worth is estimated around $664 million. He owns the Greenbrier, a luxury resort that’s basically a playground for the elite. When he walked into the Senate in 2025, he immediately took the top spot.
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Jefferson Shreve: The Storage King
A newer name on the scene, Republican Jefferson Shreve from Indiana, made his fortune in the most "everyday" way possible: self-storage. He founded Storage Express and eventually sold it for a cool $590 million. His current net worth sits right around **$600 million**.
Rick Scott: The Healthcare Titan
Florida Senator Rick Scott has been a fixture on this list for years. He co-founded HCA Healthcare, and his wealth is largely tied to that and a very aggressive investment portfolio managed through a blind trust. Estimates put him at roughly $500 million to $550 million. He’s consistently one of the biggest self-funders for his own campaigns, which, honestly, you can afford to do when you’re that loaded.
Why the Wealth Matters (It’s Not Just About the Flex)
Critics always point to the "Stock Act," but the reality is that lawmakers are still very much allowed to trade. They just have to report it. Nancy Pelosi, for example, is frequently the face of this debate. While her net worth—shared with her husband Paul—is estimated at over $278 million, it’s the timing of their trades that gets people talking.
Her portfolio has reportedly grown by over 700% since 2014. That’s wild compared to the S&P 500.
But it isn't just the Democrats.
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Darrell Issa from California is worth roughly $285 million. He made his money in car alarms (Directed Electronics). Then you have Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, who was an early investor in Nextel and is worth upwards of $214 million.
The concern isn't always "corruption" in the cinematic sense. It’s more about perspective. Can someone with half a billion dollars truly understand the sting of inflation at a grocery store? Maybe. But it’s a hard sell.
The 2026 Financial Landscape of Lawmakers
By the time we hit the 2026 midterms, the financial disclosures are going to be even more scrutinized. Why? Because the filing threshold for Senate employees and members has increased to $151,661 for the 2026 calendar year. Everything is getting more expensive, and the transparency rules are trying to keep up.
Here’s a look at some other massive fortunes currently sitting in the House and Senate:
- Kevin Hern (OK): Owns a bunch of McDonald's franchises. Worth about $109 million.
- Suzan DelBene (WA): Former Microsoft executive. Her net worth hovers around $141 million.
- Daniel Goldman (NY): He’s a Levi Strauss heir. That denim money is real—he's worth about $206 million.
- Pete Ricketts (NE): His family founded TD Ameritrade and owns the Chicago Cubs. He’s sitting on at least $212 million.
How They Keep Growing the Pile
It’s rarely the salary. $174k sounds like a lot to some, but in D.C., where you often have to maintain two residences, it disappears fast. The real wealth comes from:
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- Passive Investments: Dividends and capital gains from massive stock holdings.
- Real Estate: Many members own commercial properties or vast tracts of farmland (look at Markwayne Mullin or Mike Simpson).
- Spousal Income: Rules are slightly different for what a spouse can do, which sometimes creates a convenient "buffer."
- Legacy Wealth: Some, like Dan Goldman or Sara Jacobs (Qualcomm heiress), were wealthy long before they ever saw a ballot.
The "richest people in congress" list is a revolving door. As people retire—like the rumors of Pelosi potentially stepping back in 2027—new millionaires and billionaires are always waiting in the wings to take their place.
If you want to keep an eye on this, the best thing to do is dive into the actual disclosure reports. They’re public. They’re messy. But they tell the real story of who is making the laws and who is making the money.
Your Next Steps for Financial Transparency
To get a clearer picture of how your specific representatives are performing financially, you should take these three actions:
- Search the House or Senate Ethics Portals: Use the official "Financial Disclosure Reports" search tools to see the actual PDFs filed by your representatives. Look for "Periodic Transaction Reports" to see what they've bought or sold in the last 45 days.
- Use Third-Party Trackers: Sites like Quiver Quantitative or OpenSecrets take the dense government data and turn it into readable charts. They often flag "unusual" stock activity that beats the market.
- Check the "Blind Trusts": See if your representative has actually put their assets in a blind trust. If they haven't, they still have direct control over their trades while sitting on committees that regulate those very industries.
Monitoring the richest people in congress isn't just about being nosy; it’s about understanding where their interests truly lie when the cameras are off.