Clinton leads fundraising in CT, but Bush not far behind

Washington – There’s plenty of competition if you are a presidential candidate raising money in Connecticut, especially if you are a Republican.

The latest Federal Election Commission reports show Connecticut donors have contributed about $1.8 million to 17 presidential candidates in the first half of the year.

The money was nearly evenly split between Democratic ($892,294) and Republican ($789,927) candidates, with Democrats having a slight edge.

Nearly $820,000, was donated to Democrat Hillary Clinton. The other Democrats in the race, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Maryland Mayor Martin O’Malley, raised $52,325 and $20,300, respectively, in Connecticut.

On the Republican side, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was the favorite as far as fundraising. He raised about $531,000, even though he announced his candidacy –and was qualified to raise funds – a mere two weeks before the end of the reporting period. Among the 165 donors who made the maximum $2,700 donation was Linda McMahon, two-time candidate for U.S. Senate; State Rep. Whit Betts, R-Bristol; Francis Mara, an executive with the New York Giants football team; and Craig Roberts Stapleton, former ambassador to the Czech Republic and France.

Clinton announced her candidacy, and began raising money, in mid-April. As of this filing, she listed U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th, and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill among the 252 people who gave her the maximum $2,700 donation.

After Bush, Sen. Marco Rubio was the Republican who raised the most money in Connecticut, about $80,500. Former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal was the Republican candidate who raised the least, $2,700.

Although it’s early in the presidential money chase, candidates have raised more money in Connecticut many other states, including New Jersey, Ohio and Indiana.

About two-thirds of the money raised was raised in wealthy Fairfield County, a popular site for political fundraisers.