Foodservice fields 28 candidates for Congress industry's Capitol Hill clout would grow if operators win seats in Nov. elections

Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 29, 2008 by Paul Frumkin

WASHINGTON -- As a record number of candidates with direct ties to the foodservice and hospitality industries make a run for the U.S. Congress, restaurateurs potentially could stand to widen their influence on Capitol Hill when the new House of Representatives and Senate convene next January.

The National Restaurant Association says 19 congressional incumbents and nine nonincumbents with close connections to the restaurant or hotel businesses are running for election this year.

"We're seeing an unprecedented number of people with links to the industry running for Congress this election," said Ned Monroe, the NRA's vice president of political affairs. In particular, the NRA has thrown its support behind Ed Tinsley III, owner of the Albuquerque, N.M.-based K-Bob's Steakhouse chain and a former NRA chairman.

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David French, vice president of government relations for the International Franchise Association, said his association also is supporting Tinsley along with other candidates who possess restaurant experience.

"Our [political action committee's] agenda is to support folks who understand business and franchising, and are likely to support our issues," French said. "Forty percent of Congress is lawyers. I'm not sure I want lawyers passing laws about business. I want business people passing laws about business."

In addition to the NRA and IFA PACs, a number of major foodservice companies operate their own PACS, including McDonald's Corp., OSI Restaurant Partners, Burger King, Wendy's, Darden Restaurants, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, Starbucks Coffee, Brinker International, YUM! Brands, Anton Airfood, Triarc Cos., and Waffle House Inc. According to The Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C., foodservice companies had contributed in excess of $1 million to candidates as of Sept. 17.

Chip Kunde, vice president of government relations for Orlando, Fla.-based Darden, said the principal reason the casual-dining operator maintains its own is PAC "is to build long-term relationships with members of Congress in a bipartisan fashion. We support candidates who want our perspective and seek our counsel on issues that impact us--both as a restaurant company and a Fortune 500 company." Darden formed its PAC in 1979.

Monroe said the NRA is backing a bipartisan slate of candidates in elections across the country, adding that the association's PAC will contribute an estimated $1.4 million during this election cycle.

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He said the NRA PAC will direct 30-plus percent of the total to Democrats and the remainder to Republicans. All are running for seats in the House except Mark Warner, a Democrat who is running for an open Senate seat vacated by John Warner, a Republican who is no relation. Mark Warner is a former governor of Virginia and part owner of Majestic Cafe in Alexandria.

"The donations are based on voting records and a candidate's support for restaurant-friendly legislative and regulatory issues," Monroe said.

Over the course of the 2008 election cycle, the NRA PAC expects to contribute to the campaign war chests of more than 150 congressional candidates.

However, it has taken particular note of those individuals who have roots in the restaurant industry.

For example, the NRA PAC was expected to throw its support behind Jay Love, a former Subway restaurant area developer running on the Republican ticket for an open seat in Alabama's Second Congressional District. Love opened his first Subway in 1992 in the Montgomery area, eventually building the business to 16 units in Alabama, north Florida and south Georgia before selling them in 2006.

Both the NRA and IFA PACs are backing John Fleming, a physician who also owns a group of Subway and Dairy Queen outlets in Louisiana. Fleming, a Republican, is running in the primary race for the House seat currently held by Jim McCrery, also a Republican, in the state's Fourth Congressional District. The primary date was pushed back to early October because of Hurricane Gustav.

Both associations also are supporting incumbent Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., a co-owner of two Roly Poly wrap shops. French noted that Boren voted against the "Employee Free Choice Act," or "card-check" legislation favored by unions. The act passed the House in 2007 but failed to garner enough votes in the Senate.

The IFA likewise is supporting incumbent Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., for voting against card-check legislation.

The IFA PAC is expected to contribute more than $600,000 in the current two-year election cycle, French said.

"There are some great candidates running this year," the NRA's Monroe said. "Having more restaurateurs in Congress helps educate the rest."

The NRA PAC, however, has thrown substantial financial muscle behind former chairman Ed Tinsley, a Republican, in his run for a U.S. congressional seat from New Mexico. In addition to contributing $5,000 to Tinsley's primary and $5,000 to his general election campaigns, the NRA PAC also ponied up $200,000 in independent expenditures for television commercials--the most money the trade group's PAC has ever contributed to a candidate.