Charles Koch said he and his brother, David Koch, have voted for Democrats before, but said they would be be “more selective” with the candidates they back going forward.
But they didn’t say who might have disappointed them over the years.
The Koch brothers were interviewed on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” where Charles said he didn’t care which party a candidate comes from, so long as he or she worked to end the country’s “two-tiered system.” He said economic inquality is a major issue in this country today.
Charles Koch declined to comment on any specific candidate in the Republican primary, and said his brother David’s praise of Gov. Scott Walker was wrongly interpreted as an intended donation of millions of dollars.
The Koch brothers have become popular villains in Democratic circles, despite their support of progressive policies such as same-sex marriage and higher taxes on the wealthy.
The billionaire businessman and prolific Republican donor said it was “frightening” to see public figures like Sen. Harry Reid “hurt and destroy” private citizens for their beliefs, as Reid has attempted to do by disparaging the Koch brothers on the Senate floor for the last few years.
But Charles Koch denied suggestions that he and his brother have tried to buy influence by pouring money into individual campaigns and causes.
“So far, we’re largely failures at it,” he joked.
In their first-ever interview together, Charles and David Koch highlighted the differences in their political beliefs and shared personal stories that had shaped their positions.
David Koch recalled his brush with death in a 1991 plane crash he narrowly survived, noting he believed he was spared for a purpose.
