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Did Sheldon Whitehouse Beat the Stock Market?
Politician Stock Tracker

Did Sheldon Whitehouse beat the stock market? On the stock purchases he has disclosed since mid-2016, our answer is yes—at least in this window. Those buys returned about 384%. Buying the S&P 500 with the same money on the same days returned about 213% (about 1.8× the benchmark). That is a narrow lens on STOCK Act disclosures—not his entire wealth.
The short answer
| Question | What our data shows |
|---|---|
| Did disclosed buys beat the S&P 500? | Yes — about 384% vs 213% |
| How many buys? | 161 purchases we could price since mid-2016 |
| Did he pick great days to trade? | Near a coin flip — about 50% vs a 50% luck baseline |
Beating the market on what he bought and beating it on when he traded are different questions.
How we compare him to the market
Imagine this: every time Whitehouse disclosed a stock purchase, you bought the same amount of the S&P 500 (through SPY, a fund that tracks the index) on that same day. Then you compare the two paths.
- Whitehouse's disclosed buys: about 384%
- S&P 500 on the same dates: about 213%
His most-disclosed names include TSLA, C, T, WMT, GILD, GS. This is a long Senate disclosure window with a large priced-buy sample.

Limits to keep in mind: disclosure forms report dollar ranges, not exact share counts. This measure covers disclosed stock purchases only—not every asset class. Full details live on his Sheldon Whitehouse stock tracker page.
Timing is a separate question
Some people hear "beat the market" and mean "he knew the perfect day to buy." That is trade timing—and we measure it separately.
50% is roughly what random luck looks like. Whitehouse's overall score sits around 50%:
| Measure | Score | vs 50% luck |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 50% | +0 points |
| Buys | 45% | -5 points |
| Sells | 54% | +4 points |
With high confidence and 351 scored trades across 116 stocks, treat this as essentially in line with chance.

Track this on Politician Stock Tracker
Follow Whitehouse's numbers on Politician Stock Tracker at his Sheldon Whitehouse stock tracker page—or browse politicians beating the market for wider comparisons.

Disclaimer
Data compiled from public STOCK Act financial disclosure filings. Return and timing figures use disclosed purchase ranges and statistical models; they are not audited portfolio statements. Not investment advice.