Obama Out Raises Combined GOP Field in Contributions from Communications Industry
President Barack Obama received twice as many campaign contribution dollars from the Communications and Electronics sector as the entire field of GOP challengers in the 2012 election cycle so far. But among House incumbents, GOP members continued to receive more than Democratic members in political action committee contributions from the sector heading into 2012, showed data from the Center for Responsive Politics. The numbers are consistent with a trend of PACs favoring incumbents and the party in control (CD July 19 p1).
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
Obama has received nearly $3 million from the communications sector in the 2012 election cycle, said the Center, citing Dec. 5 data from the Federal Election Commission. Combined, the GOP presidential candidates received slightly more than $1.5 million total. Unlike the GOP candidates, Obama doesn’t accept money from PACs, so his dollar amount reflects only contributions from individuals within the sector.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney led GOP candidates in contributions from the communications sector, raising $732,700, the data showed. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, was second with $262,387. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who came in a close second to Romney at the Iowa caucuses, raised the least from the sector with $18,250. Among other still-running candidates, Texas Gov. Rick Perry raised $183,600 and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich $25,650.
The communications sector has historically leaned to the left in campaign contributions, the Center’s spokesman Michael Beckel said. But Obama is also out raising the Republican field from many other sectors and industries, he said. “Of course, the communications sector isn’t completely homogenous,” he said. “It’s likely that whoever the Republican nominee is will receive sizable amounts of campaign cash from the communications sector. But at the end of the day, President Obama is likely to retain an edge from people in this industry."
The Communications and Electronics sector gave $8.7 million in PAC contributions to federal candidates, said the Center, citing FEC data from Jan. 2. The sector’s PACs sent 55 percent to Republicans. House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., has raised $175,000 this election cycle from the communications sector, and $516,795 in total PAC money, Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., raised $79,800 from the sector, and $876,300 in total PAC money. Democrats in the House minority have not fared as well. Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., raised $90,738 from communications, and $191,488 total. Full committee Ranking Member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., raised $46,500 from the communications sector and $176,200 in total PAC money.
None of the Senate Commerce Committee leaders face elections in 2012, and they raised less than their House counterparts. Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., has raised $33,500 from the communications sectors in the 2012 cycle so far, and $116,500 total. Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., has raised $10,088 from communications and $39,966 total. The subcommittee’s Ranking Member Jim DeMint, R-S.C., raised $10,500 from communications and $57,500 in total PAC money. Commerce Committee Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, plans to retire in 2012.
PACs at AT&T, Verizon and other telcos have given nearly $2.3 million to federal candidates so far in the 2012 cycle, and 61 percent has gone to Republicans, the center’s data showed. AT&T by far gave the most. The carrier’s PAC sent $819,500 to Republicans and $454,500 to Democrats. Verizon, the next biggest contributor, gave $388,100 total, with $226,600 to Republicans and $161,500 to Democrats. AT&T PACs have given $5,000 to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and nothing to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. It gave $6,000 to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and just $2,500 to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Neither senator faces reelection. Verizon’s PACs gave $10,000 apiece to Boehner and McConnell. The telco gave $1,000 to Pelosi and nothing to Reid.
After the Bells, CenturyLink’s PAC led contributions among telephone utilities. It gave $131,350 total, with $84,350 to Republicans. The National Telecommunications Cooperative Association gave $126,800 total, with $83,300 to the GOP. USTelecom gave $55,500, with $31,000 to Democrats versus $24,500 for the GOP. Comcast continues to lead contributions to candidates from ISPs other than the top two Bells. In the 2012 cycle so far, the company’s PAC gave $699,000, with $379,000 going to Republicans. T-Mobile USA led contributions among wireless carriers other than Verizon Wireless and AT&T. The carrier has contributed $211,500 so far, with $115,000 to Republicans. Sprint Nextel contributed $80,000 of $147,500 to GOP candidates. CTIA has spent $122,500 with nearly twice as much to Republicans ($80,500) as Democrats ($42,000).
Some competitive local exchange carriers are giving more to Democrats than Republicans. TW Telecom, giving the most among CLECS, gave $69,500 to Democrats and just $38,500 to Republicans. XO Communications gave $18,000 of $30,000 to Democrats. A TW Telecom spokesman warned not to read into the numbers as the company spends equally on members from both parties who support the company’s positions. The current numbers are just an “anomaly” and a “snapshot in time,” he said.
NAB’s PAC gave $524,000 and raised slightly more for Democrats at $274,500 versus $249,500 for the GOP. CEA has contributed $64,500, with $39,000 of that total going to Democratic candidates. Microsoft leads computer and Internet companies in PAC contributions so far. It has split spending between the parties, raising $212,500 of $423,000 for the Democrats. In comparison, Google has contributed just $61,000, with $34,000 to Democrats.