GOP attracts local donations

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Campaign posters for candidates running under the Democratic ticket are posted on the window of the San Juan County Democratic Party headquarters at the 400 block of West Broadway Avenue on Tuesday.

Campaign posters for candidates running under the Democratic ticket are posted on the window of the San Juan County Democratic Party headquarters at the 400 block of West Broadway Avenue on Tuesday. (Jon Austria/The Daily Times)

FARMINGTON ? San Juan County residents are voting with their wallets, and many of their donations are going to Republican candidates and organizations.

San Juan County residents donated $191,138 in the 2012 election cycle by July 31, according to a Daily Times analysis of figures from the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks political donations.

With only two months remaining until Election Day, donations suggest the area's longstanding Republican streak is alive and well.

For the most prominent races, far more San Juan County money is flowing to the Republican side. The party gap is particularly stark in the U.S. Senate race, where former congresswoman Heather Wilson is dominating Rep. Martin Heinrich in fundraising from the Farmington area.

Wilson raised $21,950 from 32 donations from the 87401 zip code through July 31, while Heinrich raised $750 from just two donations.

The presidential race has attracted fewer dollars from local donors than the hard-fought Senate campaign. Mitt Romney's campaign garnered $9,750 from 24 donations, while President Barack Obama's campaign got $3,339 from 12 donations.

For statewide and national races, donations from the Farmington area form a small portion in a campaign season awash in cash. But the reported figures give an early indication of which candidates are exciting local political donors.

With San Juan County's heavy reliance on the oil and gas and coal industries, it's understandable

that local residents who have industry ties give to Republican candidates, said Pat Cordell, chairman of the San Juan County Republican Party.

"People that work in those industries are probably going to be more likely to give to conservative candidates or candidates that support the fossil fuels industry," said Cordell, a retired police officer and oil and gas worker.

Cordell said Heinrich and Obama are "anti-fossil fuels" candidates.

Wilson's campaign has benefited from some local fundraising efforts, including a recent event hosted by Tom Dugan of Dugan Production Corp.

Wilson supports the oil and gas industry, Dugan said.

"We like people that understand our business a little bit," Dugan said. "Heinrich has no idea about it. He's pretty much a wild-eyed tree hugger. Heather knows that it's one of the best businesses in New Mexico."

Wilson may face a tougher battle than the local donations indicate. The Washington Post reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee pulled a $2.3 million TV advertising plan for the race, and some analysts rate the matchup as leaning toward Heinrich. A Wilson campaign spokesman did not return messages seeking comment.

Local donors also gave more to the Republican Party. The Republican National Committee and its state affiliates attracted 14 donations totaling $4,025, while Democratic organizations got only $717 from three donations.

The donations track other political trends. While Democrats outnumber Republicans statewide, the Farmington area has a pronounced GOP tilt.

San Juan County had 31,303 registered Republicans as of Aug. 31, compared to 23,716 Democrats, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State.

A local Democratic official said the Republican Party gets more donations because it represents the wealthy.

"It's the Republican Party right now that is the party of the 1 percent, of the rich," said Matt Dodson, secretary of the county Democratic Party. "There are clearly far more rich Republicans than there are rich Democrats."

Dodson also is a candidate for the New Mexico State Senate. He said he will not accept corporate money, and favors publicly funded elections.

"You can't tell me if you get a million dollars from somebody that they're not going to influence you," he said.

Most donations from San Juan County came from the Farmington area. Residents of Farmington's 87401 zip code donated $95,770. Residents of the 87402 zip code donated another $56,509.

That was followed by $19,051 from the 87415 zip code, west of Aztec, and $12,295 from Aztec's 87410 zip code.

Two residents of Blanco's 87412 zip code donated $3,763, all to Democrats.

Bloomfield's 87419 zip code contributed $1,000. Another $1,500 came from the 87418 zip code on the Colorado border.

Less than $1,000 each came from Kirtland, Shiprock, Waterflow and Fruitland.

New voters must register by Oct. 9 to be eligible to vote in November. Polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 6.

Source: http://www.daily-times.com/ci_21477859/gop-attracts-local-donations?source=rss_viewed

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