HRC Mobilizes for Midterm Elections

As the midterm elections approach in November, a significant player in the Democratic Party’s political landscape is gearing up to engage millions of voters and invest substantial resources to sway outcomes.

This player is the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which has established strong connections with major corporations that publicly support its initiatives.

Identified as the country’s largest advocacy group promoting LGBTQ equality, HRC’s increasing partisanship has come under scrutiny. An investigation by 1792 Exchange highlights that HRC’s political endorsements have skewed heavily towards one side.

Between 2010 and October 2026, HRC’s online archive recorded a total of 1,408 political endorsements for 970 distinct candidates.

Of these candidates, a remarkable 964 were Democrats, with only two Republicans, three nonpartisan figures, and one independent among them.

This means that over 99% of the endorsed candidates were Democrats.

This data raises concerns for corporations that financially back HRC or partner with its Corporate Equality Index, especially since they may not equally support conservative groups.

HRC’s political activities are set to intensify. Back in April, it launched a $15 million electoral initiative named “Let’s Get Free,” aiming to connect with 74 million “Equality Voters” in time for the elections. With around four million supporters, HRC is focusing on competitive congressional races and plans to mobilize voters through advertisements and community-building efforts.

On October 20, the organization’s PAC had endorsed over 20 candidates representing transgender and nonbinary individuals for state legislatures.

It’s certainly within HRC’s rights to support certain candidates and policies. However, corporations should be cognizant of the political landscape in which they’re involved, which goes beyond just partisan lines.

HRC is known for promoting contentious views around issues such as transgender medical interventions for minors, the participation of biological males in female sports, and access to sex-segregated facilities based on gender identity.

The HRC Foundation has significantly influenced corporate practices through its Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which rates companies based on their LGBTQ policies.

HRC played a pivotal role in extending corporate benefits related to transgender healthcare. After introducing stricter requirements for CEI pertaining to transgender medical coverage, there was a marked increase in the number of companies offering comprehensive benefits.

This situation illustrates how an outside advocacy organization can impact corporate policies beyond its stated mission of promoting nondiscrimination.

Moreover, it’s notable that many corporations supporting HRC do not reciprocate that support to conservative organizations. Some organizations even use charitable platforms like Benevity that include the Southern Poverty Law Center’s controversial “Hate Map,” which excludes conservative groups from participation in their charity matching programs.

There are signs that corporate America’s relationship with HRC is evolving. In 2026, participation in HRC’s CEI among Fortune 500 companies fell by 65%. The National Center for Public Policy Research reported a 38% drop in corporate sponsorships from 2024 to 2025. Furthermore, HRC’s Platinum Corporate Partners have decreased by around 48% since their peak in 2022, while sponsorships for HRC’s National Dinner fell by 54.5% over that same period.

Despite these changes, several major companies continue their ties with HRC. For instance, in July 2025, T-Mobile informed the Federal Communications Commission of its decision to end DEI policies, stating relationships were to align with their core business goals. Yet they were later found listed among HRC’s corporate partners, raising questions about the consistency of their commitments.

Dell Technologies, receiving over $3 billion in federal contracts annually, continues its HRC sponsorship as well, earning a Verified 100 rating on the latest CEI.

These corporate links warrant closer examination, particularly given the disparity between the companies’ professed commitments to political neutrality and HRC’s increasingly partisan stance.

With HRC investing significantly to sway the midterm elections, it’s essential for corporations to reassess if their affiliations resonate with their stated dedication to impartiality. After all, backing equal treatment for employees shouldn’t necessitate alignment with an organization that heavily favors one political party and promotes divisive policies.

This divergence might not sit well with customers, shareholders, and employees.