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.
| Candidates | |
|---|---|
| All Candidates | $1,682,221 |
| All Democrats | $892,294 |
| Hillary Clinton (D) | $819,658 |
| Bernie Sanders (D) | $52,335 |
| Martin O’Malley (D) | $20,300 |
| All Republicans | $789,927 |
| Jeb Bush (R) | $531,350 |
| Marco Rubio (R) | $80,546 |
| Lindsey Graham (R) | $52,450 |
| Rand Paul (R) | $33,044 |
| Ben Carson (R) | $27,240 |
| Ted Cruz (R) | $22,947 |
| Carly Fiorina (R) | $14,800 |
| Rick Santorum (R) | $14,300 |
| George Pataki (R) | $4,450 |
| Mike Huckabee (R) | $3,100 |
| Rick Perry (R) | $3,000 |
| Bobby Jindal (R) | $2,700 |