Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and other company executives have donated thousands to the 2020 reelection campaign for Colorado Republican Cory Gardner. But why?
That’s the question some are asking on Wednesday after the Federal Election Commission released its third-quarter donation filing data. According to Gardner’s filing, Bezos and his wife MacKenzie each donated $5,400 to the Colorado senator’s 2020 reelection campaign. Other Amazon executives, including the company’s CFO Brian Olsavsky and Amazon Worldwide Consumer CEO Jeffrey Wilkie, donated the maximum $5,400, as well, according to CNBC, which earlier reported on the donations. All of the donations were made in September.
Of course, company executives make contributions to politicians all the time. And at first blush, those donations might not mean much. But with the 2018 midterm elections under two weeks away, it’s somewhat surprising that Bezos would also donate to a reelection campaign for someone who isn’t even on the ballot for two years.
According to CNBC, Gardner has played a prominent role in some of the legislation Amazon’s lobbying division has supported. The DIGIT Act, for instance, which centers on a national strategy for Internet of Things, is cosponsored by Gardner. It’s also a bill that Amazon has strongly supported.
Amazon has also expanded its footprint in Colorado of late, with a new fulfillment center it opened in the state last year.
Still, Amazon, like other companies, invests in a variety of political efforts. And Bezos, like other executives, donates to a slew of politicians. So, against that backdrop, it’s perhaps not all that surprising that Gardner—or any other politician—received donations.
Amazon did not immediately respond to a Fortune request for comment on the donations.