David Koch and Charles Koch

Koch Brothers David and Charles TIME 100
D. Koch: Henry Leutwyler—Contour/Getty Images; C. Koch: Jamie Kripke—Corbis Outline

Billionaire activists driving conservative politics

David and Charles Koch are patriots. By grit, persistence and hard work, they built a $100 billion-a-year business that employs tens of thousands. They give generously to medical research, the arts, education, think tanks and science. They care deeply about the values that make success in America possible — free markets, freedom, limited government and competition.

This has led them to the political arena, where they give tens of millions and raise hundreds more to back candidates and causes. For this, they have been excoriated by the left, while the left remains hypocritically quiet when George Soros, Tom Steyer and other left-of-center rich spend to influence politics.

The Kochs have answered abuse with courage, giving encouragement to others on the center-right to get into the fight. Bless them for all they do and all the liberals they send into orbit.

Rove, a former senior adviser to George W. Bush, founded American Crossroads

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