This article deals with the relation between economic resources and public offices. Our analysis is based on the 30 most wealthy federal congressmen elected for the 55th legislative period (2015-2019) of the Brazilian House of Representatives. The main aim of this study is to analyze the social bases of these fortunes and their relation with elective offices. It reveals that the possession of economic resources has come to be associated with the social positions the congressmen had before they entered politics, like their family origin and professional career, both of which are strongly linked to business activities. These resources then influence the way they enter politics and their careers as congressmen, which is especially characterized by the financing of their own campaigns, in this case for the 2014 elections.