Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein vs. transgender people

Richard Uihlein and Elizabeth Uihlein are American billionaire owners of business supply company Uline and major supporters of anti-transgender causes. According to a press release by HRC, “Uihlein who has a long history of backing anti-transgender candidates, including accused pedophile Roy Moore.”

Background

Richard “Dick” Uihlein was born September 18, 1945 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, into the Uihlein family, which was historically associated with the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. Uihlein attended elite private school Phillips Andover and earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1967, followed by an MBA there in 1970. After graduating, Uihlein worked in international sales for General Binding Corporation, a company co-founded by Uihlein’s parent Edgar Uihlein.

In 1980, Richard Uihlein co-founded Uline, a shipping and packaging supply company, with spouse Elizabeth Anne Uihlein (born 1945), whom Richard had met at Stanford. By the early 2000s, Uline had expanded nationally, becoming one of the largest distributors of shipping, industrial, and packaging materials in the United States. Elizabeth Uihlein is the company’s president and Richard is the CEO; their three children hold executive roles.

Starting in the 2010s, Uihlein became widely known for political contributions to conservative and Republican causes. They are major donors to the Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, and National Republican Congressional Committee. They have also donated to the anti-abortion Women Speak Out PAC, the anti-marriage equality Restoration PAC, as well as Turning Point USA, Liberty Principles PAC, Proven Conservative PAC, People Who Play By The Rules PAC, Fair Courts America PAC, Americas PAC, and Trump’s America First Action super PAC.

Richard Uihlein is a major financial supporter of conservative newspaper producer Brian Timpone, who publishes Local Government Information Services (LGIS), Metric Media, Franklin Archer, Locality Labs (formerly known as Journatic and LocalLabs), DirecTech LLC, Interactive Content Services, Newsinator, Blockshopper, and The Record.

Anti-transgender activism

Uihlein is a major supporter of Terry Schilling and the American Principles Project. In a profile of Schilling, NOTUS highlighted Schilling’s central role: “Terry and American Principles were the first to convince people, legislators, think-tank types [about] combating transgender ideology,” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts told me. “The bottom line is that a lot of groups that were more focused on free market questions, tax policy … realized they also have to join Terry and American Principles in fighting that fight.”

In 2018, Uihlein donated $2.5 million to Illinois politician Jeanne Ives, who was seeking to unseat Governor Bruce Rauner. Ives used the money on an attack ad that featured a masculine person in a dress thanking Rauner for letting them into the women’s bathroom.

Uihlein donated $800,000 to Safeguard Girls Sports PAC.

According to an alert by GLAD Law:

Richard Uihlein is the sole contributor to the ballot question committee that is funding the effort to place a total ban of transgender students participating in school sports on the ballot in November 2026. He contributed $800,000. Uihlein, through the primary ballot question committee, is also the primary funder of a second ballot question committee that is also supporting the initiative.

Uihlein and his wife, Elizabeth, have a net worth estimated at $5.3 billion. Together with his wife, Uihlein has spent more than $200,000,000 on extremist political campaigns and political action committees, plus additional undisclosed contributions to political organizations. His money has funded anti-abortion groups, 2020 election deniers and anti-LGBTQ+ organizations.

References

Clary, Connor (March 19, 2026). This New Wave of Anti-Trans Legislation Threatens Us All. Current Affairs https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/this-new-wave-of-anti-trans-legislation-threatens-us-all

Staff report (March 17, 2026). Campaign for Free and Fair Schools Responds to Verification of Anti-Trans Ballot Initiative Signatures. GLAD Law https://www.gladlaw.org/campaign-for-free-and-fair-schools-responds-to-verification-of-anti-trans-ballot-initiative-signatures/

Pendharkar, Eesha (March 17, 2026). Mainers to vote on whether to end transgender inclusion in school sports. March 17, 2026. Maine Morning Star https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/03/17/mainers-to-vote-on-whether-to-end-transgender-inclusion-in-school-sports/

Ohm, Rachel (March 17, 2026). It’s official. Mainers will vote on proposal to ban trans athletes in girls sports. Portland Press Herald https://www.pressherald.com/2026/03/17/its-official-maine-will-vote-on-proposal-to-ban-trans-athletes-in-girls-sports/

Reed, Erin (February 23, 2026). Billionaire-Funded Anti-Trans Bathroom/Sports Ban Ballot Initiative Moves Forward In Maine. Erin In The Morning https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/billionaire-funded-anti-trans-bathroomsports

Steinmatz, Chann (February 3, 2026). Maine coalition condemns out-of-state billionaire influence behind anti-trans measure. Maine Beacon https://mainebeacon.com/maine-coalition-condemns-out-of-state-billionaire-influence-behind-anti-trans-measure/

Shephers, Michael (January 16, 2026). The Republican megadonor funding Maine’s referendum on transgender girls in sports. Bangor Daily News https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/01/16/politics/elections/republican-megadonor-uihlein-maine-transgender-sports-referendum/

Skalka, Liz (May 12, 2025). The Activist Who Persuaded Republicans To Target Trans Rights. NOTUS https://www.notus.org/the-influencers/terry-schilling-transgender-rights-american-principles-project

Staff report (April 8, 2025). Oligarchs and the Trump Admin: Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein. Revolving Door Project https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/billionaires-and-the-trump-admin-richard-elizabeth-uihlein/

Saul, Stephanie; Hakim, Danny (June 7, 2018). The Most Powerful Conservative Couple You’ve Never Heard Of. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/us/politics/liz-dick-uihlein-republican-donors.html

Leem Michelle Ye Hee; Scherer, Michael (April 30, 2018). Meet the little-known ‘big fish’ megadonor setting the tone for GOP primary races. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/meet-the-little-known-big-fish-megadonor-setting-the-tone-for-gop-primary-races/2018/04/29/2e784d76-3215-11e8-94fa-32d48460b955_story.html

Resources

InfluenceWatch (influencewatch.org)

• Richard Uihlein
• influencewatch.org/person/richard-uihlein/

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

• Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein

Refuse Uline (refuseuline.com)

Protect Girls Sports in Maine (protectgirlssportsinmaine.com)