In Depth

When Politicians Got It Right in 2025

Turra Rasheed
2 Jan 2026 · 4 minutes read

Politician trading in 2025 was defined less by volume and more by timing. Early exposure to AI-linked infrastructure and semiconductors produced outsized gains, while disciplined exits from deteriorating names helped several lawmakers avoid steep losses. Together, these trades offer a sharp snapshot of where conviction and caution paid off during the year.

Top Buy Trades of 2025: Where Timing Paid Off

Semiconductors and AI Infrastructure Led the Year

The strongest buy trades of 2025 clustered around data storage, memory, and chip manufacturing, reflecting accelerating AI demand and tighter supply dynamics.

  • Western Digital emerged as one of the defining trades of 2025. Purchases made in April near $36 to $38 later climbed above $170, translating into gains of more than 350%. Jefferson Shreve entered early, capturing much of the rally as storage demand surged alongside AI data expansion.

  • Micron Technology followed a similar trajectory. Several April purchases in the $60 to $70 range later traded above $285, producing gains of roughly 300%. The stock appeared across multiple disclosures during the spring, including trades by Rohit Khanna, Lisa McClain, and Senator Ashley Moody, as memory pricing and AI-driven server demand began to turn decisively higher.

  • Seagate Technology also rewarded early entries. April buys in the low to mid-$70s later more than tripled, delivering gains of over 300%, as enterprise storage spending rebounded. Rohit Khanna disclosed multiple purchases during this period, coinciding with improving fundamentals across the storage sector.

  • Chip equipment names rounded out the semiconductor theme. Lam Research and Teradyne saw entries in the high $50s to low $70s later double or more, generating gains ranging from 135% to 282%. Trades by Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jefferson Shreve, Anthony Wied, and Lisa McClain aligned with a renewed upcycle in semiconductor capital spending.

Select Growth and Platform Plays

Beyond semiconductors, a handful of platform and consumer-facing companies delivered standout performance.

AppLovin proved to be one of the year’s strongest growth stories. Purchases made between $230 and $270 in March and April later climbed toward $670, delivering gains of roughly 148-190%. Both Jefferson Shreve and Josh Gottheimer disclosed positions ahead of the stock’s acceleration.

Sphere Entertainment also stood out. April entries near $26 later approached $95, producing gains of around 265%, as live entertainment demand and venue economics exceeded expectations. The stock appeared in disclosures by Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr., who bought shares ahead of the recovery.

Palantir remained a recurring name across House filings. January and April purchases in the high $60s to high $70s later traded near $180, generating gains of approximately 129-140%, driven by expanding government contracts and growing commercial adoption. Trades were disclosed by Julie Johnson, James Comer, Jefferson Shreve, Robert Bresnahan Jr., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, reflecting broad interest in the company’s AI positioning.

Top Sell Trades of 2025: Losses Avoided

Some of the most impressive trades of the year were sells that came before sharp and sustained declines.

Early Exits from Collapsing Names

  • iRobot stands as one of the clearest examples. Senator Ron Wyden sold shares in early February near $7.80. The stock later collapsed to near-zero levels, making the timing of this exit particularly notable (98.6% loss avoided).

  • Luminar Technologies followed a similar path. Mitch McConnell exited near $3 in late June, avoiding a drawdown of more than 97% as the company’s financial challenges intensified.

Timely Reductions in Financials and Tech

Fiserv became one of the most widely exited stocks of the year. Between January and June, several lawmakers reduced or eliminated positions at prices ranging from the high $160s to above $220. The stock later fell below $70, turning these exits into avoided losses exceeding 60%. Disclosures came from Rohit Khanna, Dan Newhouse, Julie Johnson, Josh Gottheimer, Michael McCaul, and Jefferson Shreve.

Technology and communication services also featured prominently among well-timed exits. Sales of Trade Desk by Robert Bresnahan Jr., James Comer, and Jefferson Shreve occurred well before the stock dropped below $40. Endava was sold by Josh Gottheimer and Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. ahead of a steep decline, while exits from Rapid7 and Sarepta Therapeutics also preceded significant drawdowns. Notably, many of these reductions were spread across multiple transactions rather than a single sale, pointing to structured portfolio management rather than reactive decision-making.

What 2025 Tells Us About Politician Trading

The 2025 data shows a clear divide between reactive disclosures and genuinely well-timed market exposure. Semiconductor and AI-related buys captured structural growth early, while disciplined selling avoided deep drawdowns in weakening names. Importantly, many successful trades were not oversized positions but rather well-timed entries and exits.

As 2026 begins, 2025 stands out as a year where conviction in long-term themes and respect for downside risk shaped the most notable outcomes in politician trading.

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