The Federal Election Commission has established a new service that reveals total contributions to Presidential candidates generated by state, and even within a “first three” zip code, and you can click through to see actual donations by individuals within the zip codes! The generosity of Californians to Presidential candidates in both parties is most interesting.
Through the mid-year reports, Californians were responsible for a total of $37 million in contributions to all registered Presidential candidates, of a total of almost $296 million raised nationwide (about 12.5% of total contributions). Democrat candidates earned $23 million of this support, with Clinton and Obama essentially tied at $8.8 million; and Republicans drew $14 million, with Romney taking the cake with $5.4 million and Giuliani next in line with a little over $4.1 million.
The zip code contributions from California are fascinating. In coastal Orange County’s signature zip codes (926XX series, such as 92660 (Newport Beach)) contributions to Republican Presidential candidates for the first half of this year topped $2.4 million, and Democrats were just $800,000 from the same area. While Romney raised $877,000 from the 926XX zip codes, Giuliani was at $778,000. It is also interesting and revealing to look through the donors in these generous zips, who are conveniently listed in alpha order, and see who gave to multiple Republican candidates! Of the Democrats, Clinton took $344,000 of the total, and Obama just $212,000.
Placer county, for example, in the 957XX series, accounted for $212,000 in total contributions to Presidential candidates, with almost $160,000 of that going to Republican candidates. Romney was the overwhelming favorite there, with about $98,000 of the total. But Giuliani narrowly beat Romney in Monterey County in the 939XX zips, where he received $89,000 to Romney’s $86,000. In the 902XX zips in Los Angeles County, Giuliani also raised more than Romney, $433,000 to $403,000.
Of the Democrats, Obama seemed to do a little better in the north than the south. In the big 949XX zip code series in the San Francisco Bay Area, about $1 million was donated to Democrats, with Obama scoring $360,000 and Hillary close to $200,000. Even Dennis Kucinich scored in this area, raising $5,830 for the period.
The map and info are available at www.fec.gov.