GOP Gets Boost from Communications Industry in Early Campaign Contributions
Republican candidates received more than Democrats in political action committee contributions from the communications industry in the early part of the 2011-2012 election cycle. The Communications and Electronics sector has made $3.2 million in federal contributions, and 57 percent of the contributions have gone to the GOP, said the Center for Responsive Politics, citing July 5 data from the Federal Election Commission. That’s a reversal from the 2009-2010 cycle, when the sector spent 53 percent of nearly $25 million raised on Democrats. A spokesman for the center cautioned that only some PACs have filed data for April and May.
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House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., has raised $75,000 this cycle from the communications and electronics sector, and $215,500 in total PAC money, the center’s data showed. Ranking Member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., raised $37,500 from the communications sector, and $79,500 total so far. Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., raised $37,800 from the communications industry, and $385,925 total. Ranking Member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., has raised only $4,500 from communications and $14,000 total so far.
Less PAC money has gone to Senate Commerce Committee leaders, who do not face reelection in 2012, spending data said. Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., has raised $5,000 from the communications industry, and $29,878 total. Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., has raised $3,000 from communications and $27,000 total. Both would face reelection in 2014. Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has received no money from communications and $23,500 total. DeMint isn’t up for reelection until 2016, but is rumored to be considering a bid for president. Commerce Committee Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, plans to retire in 2012.
"As a rule, political contributions shift when control of Congress changes,” said Douglas Weber, senior researcher for the Center for Responsive Politics. “You [could] see that after the 1994 and 2006 elections and you are seeing it again. Intensifying this is that PACs generally favor incumbents -- most incumbents in 2010 were Democrats, most are now Republicans."
PACs at AT&T, Verizon and other telephone utilities have given more than $1 million to federal candidates so far in the 2012 cycle, the center’s data said. More than 63 percent has gone to Republicans. AT&T’s PAC gave $621,000 and Verizon $258,500 to federal candidates’ campaigns in the 2012 cycle. AT&T’s PAC gave $413,500 to Republicans, twice what it gave to Democrats. Verizon PAC’s GOP giving edged contributions to Democrats, $151,000 to $107,500. Verizon sent $10,000 each to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Election contribution records show no money from Verizon to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., or Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. AT&T gave $5,000 to Boehner, $2,000 to McConnell, $2,500 to Reid and nothing to Pelosi, the data said.
After the former Bells, the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association is leading contributions among telephone utilities in the early going, the election records said. The small rural telco association’s PAC gave $35,300, with $21,300 going to Republicans. Competitive local exchange carriers have also been giving. Combined, PACs of tw telecom, Integra and Cbeyond gave $132,000. All three gave slightly more to Republican candidates.
Comcast led contributions to candidates from communications and Internet companies other than telephone utilities, the data said. In the 2012 cycle so far, the cable company’s PAC gave $421,500, with $231,000 to Republicans versus $190,500 to Democrats. Microsoft’s PAC gave $222,000, with $121,000 of it going to the GOP. T-Mobile USA is leading giving among wireless carriers other than AT&T and Verizon, contributing $75,000 so far to candidates in the 2012 cycle. The carrier, which is seeking to merge with AT&T, gave $39,500 to Republicans, slightly more than half of its total spending. Sprint Nextel’s PAC, meanwhile, gave $47,500, with slightly more ($24,500) to Republicans. CTIA’s PAC gave $51,500 and contributed nearly twice as much to the GOP ($33,000) as to Democrats ($18,500).
Clear Channel contributed $103,500, with $54,500 to Republicans and $49,000 to Democrats, the center said. NAB’s PAC gave $98,500, with $59,000 of that to Republicans. NAB sent $5,000 to Boehner and $1,000 to Pelosi in the first half of 2011, but nothing to Reid or McConnell. Among other heavy hitters, Time Warner Cable’s PAC gave $93,500, with $53,000 of that to Republicans.
CEA and DirecTV so far have bucked the GOP spending trend among telecom heavy hitters. Of $95,000 in total contributions, DirecTV’s PAC gave $51,500 to Democrats and $43,500 to Republicans, according to the center’s data. CEA’s PAC gave $31,500 to Democrats out of $50,500 in total contributions.