How the 15 richest members of Congress made their money

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How the 15 richest members of Congress made their money

Lawmakers clap as US President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 5, 2019. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

The House chamber during the 2019 State of the Union address.

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  • There are many elected officials with large fortunes independent of the salaries they earn while serving in Congress.
  • Members of Congress earn a salary of $174,000.
  • Here are the richest members currently serving in the House and Senate, based on their reported net worth.

Members of Congress earn a salary of $174,000, which is well over twice the national average household income. But many representatives and senators are independently wealthy from previous careers or significant gains they have made outside of their legislative work.

Here are the 15 richest members currently serving in the House and Senate and where the wealth comes from, according to a 2018 analysis by Roll Call.

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15. Francis Rooney — $22.6 million

15. Francis Rooney — $22.6 million

Republican Rep. Francis Rooney of Texas has earned a large fortune from his business, Manhattan Construction Group, which has built massive projects such as Cowboys Stadium.

14. Ro Khanna — $27 million

14. Ro Khanna — $27 million

Rep. Ro Khanna of California's wealth comes via his wife, Ritu, who is worth millions from her father's investment firm, Mura Holdings. Khanna's father-in-law, Monte Ahuja, is also founder and CEO of the automotive transmission giant Transtar, another contributor to Rep. Khanna's substantial net worth.

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13. Roger Williams — $27.7 million

13. Roger Williams — $27.7 million

Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas owns and operates auto dealerships all across the Lone Star State — selling Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep cars and trucks.

12. Suzan DelBene — $28.4 million

12. Suzan DelBene — $28.4 million

Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington and her husband have both held high-level positions at Microsoft, one of the largest corporations in the world.

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11. Don Beyer — $31.2 million

11. Don Beyer — $31.2 million

Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia is a major auto dealer in the Washington, DC area. He also served as the US ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under former President Barack Obama.

10. Scott Peters — $32 million

10. Scott Peters — $32 million

Democratic Rep. Scott Peters of California had a long career as an attorney in high-profile cases. He has also reinvested a lot of his earnings and is married to Lynn Gorguze, the president and CEO of Cameron Holdings, a private equity firm.

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9. Paul Mitchell — $37.7 million

9. Paul Mitchell — $37.7 million

Republican Rep. Paul Mitchell of Michigan is not the hair products icon of the same name, but has been a corporate executive with a sizable portfolio.

8. Chris Collins — $43.5 million

8. Chris Collins — $43.5 million

Rep. Chris Collins of New York, the first elected Republican to endorse Donald Trump's 2016 presidential bid, owns stake in various companies ranging from manufacturing to biotechnology. Collins was recently stripped of his committee assignments after being indicted for insider trading. His trial is set for early 2020.

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7. Trey Hollingsworth — $50.1 million

7. Trey Hollingsworth — $50.1 million

Rep. Trey Hollingsworth is only 34 years old, but the Indiana Republican has a sizable fortune from his father, the founder of Hollingsworth Capital Partners, which renovates factories.

6. Dianne Feinstein — $58.5 million

6. Dianne Feinstein — $58.5 million

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California holds stake in Carlton hotels, according to Roll Call. In addition, she is married to Blum Capital president and chairman Richard Blum.

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5. Richard Blumenthal — $70 million

5. Richard Blumenthal — $70 million

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has significant assets from real estate across New York, partly due to his wife, Cynthia Malkin. Malkin is the daughter of real estate mogul Peter Malkin.

4. Vern Buchanan — $73.9 million

4. Vern Buchanan — $73.9 million

Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida is a highly successful auto-dealer across the southeastern United States. Buchanan recently came under fire for purchasing a yacht estimated to be valued between $1-5 million dollars the same day he voted for the Republican tax cuts bill in 2017.

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3. Mark Warner — $90.2 million

3. Mark Warner — $90.2 million

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia is the richest senator, earning his wealth through real estate, energy, and telecommunications. Warner has also been a venture capitalist.

2. Rep. Michael McCaul — $113 million

2. Rep. Michael McCaul — $113 million

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas made his way to being the number two wealthiest member of Congress through his wife, Linda McCaul, who is the daughter of deceased radio and communications giant Lowry Mays.

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1. Rep. Greg Gianforte — $135.7 million

1. Rep. Greg Gianforte — $135.7 million

Montana's at-large Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, is currently the wealthiest member of Congress, earning his fortune through software development.

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