By Emelie Rutherford
White House rivals Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) continue to garner similar campaign donation totals from defense contractors, though neither appear to have strong financial support from the industry, newly compiled campaign finance data shows.
McCain had a modest lead in donations from the defense industry as of May 30, garnering $339,604 compared to Obama’s $335,385, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission (FEC) data released last week by the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP). The data for donations of at least $200 from political action committees (PACs) and individuals through May was due to the FEC June 20; Obama, though, does not accept PAC money.
Obama beat McCain in donations from defense aerospace company employees–including from Chicago-based Boeing (BA)–garnering $152,573 from such firms, compared to the Arizona Republican’s $117,904. Yet McCain topped Obama in donations from defense electronics company donors ($97,685 compared to the Illinois Democrats’ ($78,527) and miscellaneous defense shops ($129,015 to Obama’s $106,035).
McCain’s tally of donations from Boeing employees giving more than $200 as of May 31 lags behind his Democratic rival’s, with McCain showing $11,600 (15 donations) and Obama gathering $24,073 (78 donations).
McCain helped uncover the scandal earlier this decade related to the Air Force’s planned lease of Boeing aerial refueling tankers. Some Boeing employees are not happy with him following the service’s highly criticized tanker construction contract award to a Northrop Grumman [NOC]-European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) team, sources said.
However, Obama and McCain also differ in donations from other companies. Donation totals include:
- Northrop Grumman: $34,950 for Obama and $32,665 for McCain;
- EADS North America: $14,500 for McCain and $2,300 for Obama.
- BAE Systems: $20,525 for McCain and $5,700 for Obama.
- KBR [KBR]: $5,300 for Obama and $700 for McCain.
- SAIC [SAI]: $18,888 for Obama and $14,050 for McCain.
- Lockheed Martin [LMT]: $32,950 for Obama and $27,950 for McCain.
- General Dynamics [GD]: $12,550 for Obama and $12,200 for McCain.
- Raytheon [RTN]: $16,010 for McCain and $15,199 for Obama.
- L-3 Communications [LLL]: $5,250 for McCain and $4,957 for Obama.
- United Technologies [UTX]: $4,850 for Obama and $2,300 for McCain.
Former presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) was the favorite of defense industry donors before she suspended her campaign June 8. She ended May with a total $395,140 in donations defense company employees giving more than $200.
Defense industry denizens aren’t thrilled about the prospect of a McCain or an Obama presidency, sources said.
McCain, the current ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has opposed some major weapons programs the Pentagon desired including the B-2 bomber and the Seawolf submarine.
“The defense contractors are kind of nervous about McCain because they know he’s going to say, ‘No,'” said John Isaacs, executive director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
He added it’s “hard to say what Obama would do about these weapons programs,” even considering the Democrats’ much stronger stance against the war in Iraq.
“Democrats come into office and are very reluctant to cut the military budget and kill major weapons programs, because it feeds into the narrative that they’re weak on defense,” Isaacs said.
Defense contractors “clearly supported Bush over Gore, Bush over Kerry,” he said, predicting they’ll decide, “none of the above probably in 2008.”
Campaign donations through the end of April–like the recently released tallies through May–also showed McCain with a modest edge in defense industry donations over Obama. However, the discrepancy between the candidates was even smaller through April, with McCain gathering $301,284 and Obama netting $300,403 in defense-industry donations at the time.