Politics & Government

Easley Residents Contribute $5k to Presidential Campaigns

According to the Federal Elections Commission, Easley residents have ponied up $5k

Easley residents have contributed $5,055 to various presidential election campaigns since the start of the year, according to figures released by the Federal Elections Commission.

The sum of the 20 contributions made this year came from 10 Easley residents and were split among 5 GOP candidates and President Barack Obama.

The top two GOP recipients are Texas Gov. Rick Perry who topped the list with $2,850 followed by Congressman Ron Paul with $800. Obama follows closely with $760 in campaign contributions.

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Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney received $520, Herman Cain received $100, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich got $25.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who wasn’t even a candidate for the GOP nomination until mid-August, has surged to the front of South Carolina fundraising thanks to some fast and large donations.

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Perry, whose Palmetto State poll numbers have soured after a hot start, has raised $103,650 from S.C. contributors in six weeks, according to Federal Elections Commission figures released this week. Perry's 81 donations, primarily from Upstate residents, averaged $1,280.

Following Perry in fundraising is former Sen. Rick Santorum, who has raised $80,080 among S.C. donors; former Gov. Mitt Romney, who has raised $75,230 ($54,000 of it coming in the third quarter) and former Rep. Ron Paul, who has raised $54,999 since the campaign began.

Businessman Herman Cain, who leads the latest S.C. GOP poll among primary voters, has raised $23,484. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who spent a great deal of time in South Carolina over the summer, has yet to make a serious funding impact, raising $23,197. Meanwhile, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has raised $16,460.

Former candidate Tim Pawlenty raised $2,800 before dropping out of the race. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, whose campaign appears to be in financial distress following this recent round of financial disclosures, has raised $2,550. And former Gov. Gary Johnson has raised $451.

South Carolina, which will hold its first in the South primary on Jan. 21, isn’t just opening its pocketbook for Republican candidates, however.

While the GOP presidential candidates have raised $382,902 in this election cycle, incumbent President Barack Obama, who is visiting North Carolina and Virginia this week, has raised $238,291 among S.C. voters, according to the FEC.


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