Buying The Presidency: The Republicans, Part 2

The second part of our story on who’s buying the 2008 Republican presidential candidates.Buying The Presidency: The Republicans, Part 2By Cliff Montgomery – June 28th, 2007With the 2008 presidential candidates having amassed more than $150 million after the initial three months of fundraising, it’s time you discovered just which big business groups are buying which candidates.We’ll run down the candidates for each party, going from the current front-runner to those unknown even by most of their own.Today is part 2 in our study of who’s buying each of the Republican presidential nominees; Friday and Saturday will be the Democrats’ turn.The candidates’ numbers are derived from the most recent Federal Election Commission information released electronically by Monday, April 16, 2007.Ron Paul – The representative from Texas’s 14th District has been elected to Congress on three separate occasions, so he knows something about fundraising. But Paul’s message has so far failed to ignite voters, and first quarter results showed him lagging behind the top candidates.Total Receipts: $639,989Top 20 Industries1. Retired ………………………………………….. $117,7802. Misc Finance …………………………………. $19,2003. Securities & Investment ………………… $13,0004. Lawyers/Law Firms ……………………….. $12,2505. Misc Business ………………………………. $11,9506. Health Professionals …………………….. $10,2007. Printing & Publishing …………………….. $9,7008. Computers/Internet ………………………. $9,4009. Real Estate ………………………………….. $6,85010. Civil Servants/Public Officials ………. $6,10011. Education …………………………………… $5,03412. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $5,00013. Special Trade Contractors ………….. $4,85014. Misc Energy ……………………………….. $4,60015. Air Transport ………………………………. $4,30016. Business Services ……………………… $3,90017. Retail Sales ……………………………….. $3,85018. Construction Services ………………… $3,75019. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing …. $3,20020. General Contractors ………………….. $2,75020. Telephone Utilities ……………………… $2,750Mike Huckabee – Huckabee came to political prominence as the governor of Arkansas from 1996-2007; generous fatcats bought him for $2.6 million during his last election campaign. But the Baptist minister is no fool–he knows he’s currently facing some real fundraising challenges against such well-recognized names as Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Huckabee’s currently hoping his Big Donor friends in Arkansas, which include banking and real estate tycoons, will help him raise much-needed funds.Total Receipts: $544,157Top 20 Industries1. Retired ………………………………………. $50,2002. Misc Finance ……………………………… $34,1003. Real Estate ……………………………….. $30,4504. Lawyers/Law Firms ……………………. $29,9985. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing … $24,0006. Securities & Investment ……………. $22,8007. Health Professionals …………………. $17,5508. Business Services …………………….. $16,8009. General Contractors …………………. $16,10010. Automotive ……………………………… $14,90011. Commercial Banks ………………….. $10,90012. Livestock …………………………………. $10,45013. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $8,30014. Education ……………………………….. $8,10015. Misc Services ………………………….. $6,90016. Insurance ……………………………….. $5,80017. Telecom Services & Equipment . $4,60017. Misc Business …………………………  $4,60019. Civil Servants/Public Officials …..  $4,30020. Food Processing & Sales ………… $2,800Duncan Hunter – Hunter’s been a good seller of his government services since he was first elected to be representative for California’s 52nd District in 1981. His fundraising acumen in the first quarter was not really up to snuff, so Hunter’s recently been using his connections as the ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee to sell himself heavily to the defense sector.Total Receipts: $538,524Top 20 Industries1. Retired ………………………………………. $26,6502. Lobbyists …………………………………… $14,0503. Lawyers/Law Firms ……………………. $13,7504. Real Estate ……………………………….. $13,5005. Misc Finance ……………………………… $12,6505. Textiles ……………………………………… $12,6507. Retail Sales ………………………………. $10,8708. General Contractors …………………. $9,8509. Savings & Loans ………………………. $9,45010. Computers/Internet ………………… $9,40011. Defense Aerospace ……………….. $8,30012. Business Services ………………….. $7,40013. Misc Services …………………………. $6,35014. Crop Production/Basic Processing … $6,15015. Electric Utilities ………………………. $6,00016. Other ……………………………………… $5,80017. Misc Business ………………………… $5,25018. Leadership PACs …………………… $5,00019. Livestock ……………………………….. $4,25020. Construction Services ……………. $3,800Tommy Thompson – A former Wisconsin governor, Thompson enters the race after serving as George W. Bush’s Health and Human Services secretary from 2001-2005. But that hasn’t helped Thompson so far; he only raised a few hundred thousand dollars during the first quarter.The most humiliating part of politics comes not in selling yourself, but in discovering that almost no one wants to buy what you’re selling.Total Receipts: $391,628Top 20 Industries1. Retired …………………………………….. $37,8002. Lawyers/Law Firms ………………….. $31,6703. Special Trade Contractors ……….. $12,6004. Building Materials & Equipment .. $11,5005. Lobbyists …………………………………. $11,0006. Real Estate ……………………………… $9,4007. Forestry & Forest Products ………. $9,2007. Computers/Internet ………………….. $9,2009. Securities & Investment ……………. $6,90010. General Contractors ……………….. $6,30011. Pharmaceuticals/Health Products . $6,10011. Business Services …………………… $6,10013. Retail Sales …………………………….. $5,10014. Food & Beverage ……………………. $4,85015. Crop Production/Basic Processing . $4,80016. Recreation/Live Entertainment .. $4,60017. Fisheries & Wildlife …………………. $4,40018. Misc Business ………………………… $4,15619. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $3,35020. Misc Services …………………………. $3,30020. Oil & Gas ……………………………….. $3,300Jim Gilmore – Virginia’s former governor didn’t exactly light up the total boards during the first quarter of fundraising. But let’s be fair; the former chairman of the Republican National Committee started his race to the White House later than other candidates, and began his run with next to nothing. Lawyers, retirees, and general contractors seem to expect a lot of favors from a President Gilmore, but few others were buying him in the first quarter.Total Receipts: $203,896Top 20 Industries1. Lawyers/Law Firms …………………. $24,0502. Retired ……………………………………. $15,5503. General Contractors ……………….. $12,8504. Real Estate …………………………….. $8,4005. Misc Manufacturing/Distributing . $4,6006. Business Services …………………… $4,5007. Misc Business …………………………. $4,4508. Misc Finance …………………………… $4,2008. Pharmaceuticals/Health Products . $4,20010. Health Professionals ……………… $3,30011. Construction Services ……………. $2,30011. Securities & Investment …………. $2,30013. Non-Profit Institutions …………….. $2,10014. Insurance ……………………………….. $1,50015. Building Materials & Equipment . $1,00016. Misc Services ………………………….. $50017. Civil Servants/Public Officials …… $30018. Lobbyists ………………………………… $25018. Food Processing & Sales ……….. $250Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!