Who's Giving the Most to Presidential Candidates in Rhode Island?
GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle
Who's Giving the Most to Presidential Candidates in Rhode Island?
So who has gotten the most in total from Rhode Islanders - and who are their big donors?
SLIDES: See the Candidates with the Most RI Donations So Far BELOW
Democratic candidates’ individual fundraising currently edges Republicans by more than a three to one margin in Rhode Island, with the Dems taking $346,278 to the GOP’s $103,748 in the category through the third quarter— and Hilary Clinton outpacing her next closest opponent in the individual money race by over a four to one margin.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnd who is that candidate? It’s not who's on top (or near the top) of the polls -- not Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, but rather Jeb Bush. Clinton has snagged $265,457; Bush is in second with fundraising less than $60,000 so far in the state.
National Perspective
Nationally, the New York Times reported that just 158 families have provided “nearly half the early money for efforts to capture the White House” so far in the campaign.
On October 2, Time Magazine reported that Sanders was outpacing Obama in number of contributions at this point in the campaign.
"Bernie Sanders‘ campaign announced an important fundraising milestoneon Wednesday, bringing in more than $25 million in the last three months—nearly as much as Hillary Clinton, who remains the odds-on-favorite to win the Democratic presidential nomination despite growing leads for Sanders in early-state polls. Perhaps more significant, Sanders boasts almost twice as many individual contributors to his campaign as Barack Obama did at this point in 2007 on the way to his upset win against Clinton."
RI Contributions to Presidential Candidates - November 2015
#10
Carly Fiorina (R)
Total: $3,665
Max ($2,700) contributions to date: 1
Notes: The Republican has a grand total of 4 people contriburing to her campaign in Rhode Island.
#9
Donald Trump (R)
Total: $4,385
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 1
Notes: The FEC shows Tump having 7 contributions from 6 Rhode Island donors as of the the most recent reporting period.
#8
Chris Christie (R)
Total: $5,400
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 2
Notes: The New Jersey Governor has just two contributions from Rhode Islanders to date, both maxing out.
#7
Marco Rubio (R)
Total: $5,469
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 1
Notes: Rubio saw Rhode Islanders make 17 contributions to his campaign so far.
#6
Ben Carson (R)
Total: $9,051
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 0
Notes: Dr. Carson has't seen any one-time contributions in Rhode Island above $500, but FEC reports shows 108 individual contibutions having been made to his campaign (and again, an invidual can give multiple times until they meet the limit).
#5
Ted Cruz (R)
Total: $12,178
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 0
Notes: Cruz notched three $1,000 contributions from Rhode Islanders, but like a number of other candidates, is seeing individuals giving smaller amounts, multiple times -- Rhode Islanders have gone to their checkbooks 106 times so far for Cruz.
#4
Martin O'Malley (D)
Total: $31,400
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 4
Notes: The former Marlyand Governor has gotten contributions from former Secretary of State candidate Guillaume de Ramel, Lifespan CEO Tim Babineau, and former staffer -- and now Raimondo Deputy Chief of Staff -- Eric Beane.
#3
Bernie Sanders (D)
Total: $33,521
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 0
Notes: Not suprisingly, the Vermont Senator has not notched any Rhode Islander stroking one-time max-out checks (he has seen several $1,000 donors), but he has seen Rhode Islanders reach into their pockets 270 times so far for his campaign.
#2
Jeb Bush (R)
Total: $58,200
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 20
Notes: For Jeb Bush, it's go big or go home in Rhode Island. Of his 22 donations in Rhode Island, 20 have been top-level. The big donors include PawSox part-owner Habib Gorgi, as well as Prov Equity guys Jonathan Nelson and Glenn Creamer (and wife).
#1
Hillary Clinton (D)
Total: $265,457
Max ($2,700) RI donors to date: 63
Notes: Former Secretary of State Clinton is responsible for garnering over half of all the Presidential contributions made to candidates in Rhode Island combined to date.
And who's giving the top dollars to Clinton? Former Gubernatorial candidate Clay Pell; former Providence Mayor and real estate developer Joe Paolino (and family members); family members of big Clinton backer Mark Weiner; filmmaker Chad Verdi; lobbyist Rick McAullife; and attorneys Zach Darrow, Tom Moses, Vicki Almeida, Michael Mancini, and more.
