Where does the political money go in the Upper Delaware Valley?

Republicans get most donations from the region, but none to McCain

By FRITZ MAYER

fritzmayer@riverreporter.com

UPPER DELAWARE VALLEY — Thanks to public records kept by the Federal Election Commission, it is very easy for anyone with internet access to find out who is donating to political campaigns, and how much.

A quick check by zipcode of the records at www.fec.gov showed that residents of the Upper Delaware Valley were more likely to donate to Republican committees, but on an individual basis, Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton fared better than Republican candidate John McCain, who received no direct contributions from residents in the region as of February 29.

On the website, donations can be searched by zip codes, which was how this survey was conducted. There are many zip codes that have produced substantial political donations in the past, but show no donations to political campaigns in 2007 and 2008. Those zip codes include many areas in Sullivan County in New York and Wayne and Pike counties in Pennsylvania. However, it is still early in the election cycle of 2008 and, if past donations are an accurate indication, there will certainly be more donations to one party or another in the months ahead. What follows are the donations listed on the FEC website for all of 2007 and through the end of February 2008.

Sullivan County, NY

Bethel, 12720

$5,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Committee, which is dedicated to getting Democrats elected to the U.S. Senate.

Callicoon, 12723

Four donations totaling $1,250 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is dedicated to getting Republicans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

$250 donation to help elect Democrat Jim Hines to the House as a Congressman from Connecticut.

Three donations totaling $750 to the Dealers Election Action Committee of the National Automotive Dealers Association, an organization that lobbies in Washington, DC for car dealers across the country.

Cochecton, 12726

$200 donation to the Fred Thompson campaign for president.

Two donations totaling $4,500 to the presidential campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton.

Lake Huntington, 12752

$500 donation to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign.

Narrowsburg, 12764

$250 donation for the presidential campaign of Senator Barack Obama.

$250 donation to the Democratic National Committee, which works to promote Democratic candidates and causes.

$1,600 to the Lyndon LaRouche Political Action Committee; LaRouche is an economist who preaches that the world financial system is on the verge of collapse.

Wayne County, PA

Equinunk, 18417

Donations totaling $1,500 to the Political Action Committee of the National Association of Home Builders, which lobbies in Washington DC on behalf of builders nationwide.

$250 to the Rudy Giuliani presidential campaign.

Hawley, 18428

Four donations totaling $1,300 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Three donations totaling $7,000 for the campaign of Congressman Chris Carney, a Democrat.

$300 donation to the Pennsylvania Bankers Association Public Affairs Committee, a banking lobbying group.

$365 donation to the Political Action Committee of the National Association of Home Builders.

Lake Ariel, 18436

$250 donation to the presidential campaign of Democrat John Edwards.

$250 donation to the presidential campaign of Democrat Christopher Dodd.

$1,000 donation for the campaign of Tim Johnson, a Democrat who suffered a brain hemorrhage in December 2006, and who is running to retain his South Dakota Senate seat.

Two $250 donations for the campaign of Dan Meuser, who is one of two Republicans vying for the chance to unseat Carney this fall.

$500 donation to the Pennsylvania Bankers Association Public Affairs Committee.

Pike County, PA

Paupack, 18415

$300 donation to the National Congressional Republican Committee.

Shohola, 18458

$250 donation to the Rudy Giuliani presidential campaign.

$500 donation to the Engineers Political Education Committee of the International Union of Operating Engineers, a union that represents construction workers, mechanics, surveyors and other workers.

Three donations totaling $5,000 to the political action committee of the National Association of Homebuilders.

Two donations totaling $2,200 to the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

$250 donation for the campaign for the Republican Committee of Pennsylvania.