Outsiders funding Utah races

Non-Utahns are providing about $3 of every $4 raised for Utah's congressional races so far this election, a Deseret Morning News analysis shows.

In fact, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, has raised more from individual- donor New Yorkers than he has from Utahns.

Such heavy outside giving means that while Utahns may vote for their U.S. senators and representatives, outsiders are largely determining how well they are financed and how well they can reach voters. In short, outsiders may largely determine who wins.

"If outside giving is so heavy, then there can be a disconnect between the representative and his constituents," said Kelly Patterson, director of Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy.

But, he says, "if it ever comes down to a vote" in Congress between interests of home-state voters and out-of-state donors, smart politicians "have no problem abandoning their out-of-state contributors."

The Morning News evaluated campaign disclosure data filed with the Federal Election Commission by Utah congressional candidates and incumbents in 2005 and so far in 2006.

For those donors whose addresses are disclosed, 74 percent of the money overall came from out of state. That includes 97 percent of the money from special-interest political action committees; 96 percent of the money donated by party groups or politicians; and 63 percent of the money given by individuals.

Power of incumbency

The really big out-of-state money goes to incumbents, who have the power to affect law and policy now. Meanwhile, the little money that newcomer challengers tend to raise usually comes from inside Utah -- or often from inside their own pockets.

For example, Bishop has received 75 percent of his money from individuals from out of state. That includes $14,000 from New Yorkers, which was more than the $11,600 he received from individual Utah donors. His Democratic challenger, Steve Olsen, received all his individual-donor money from inside Utah, and provided most of that himself.

Bishop said New Yorkers gave him more than Utahns because during the non-election 2005, "I did not hit up in-state sources that much." He said he will approach them more as interest in the upcoming election increases.

The money he raised in New York came from a Bronx fund-raiser arranged there by members of a pro-Israel political action committee.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, who is not up for re- election this year, received 73 percent of his donations from individuals from out of state. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, had 71 percent from out of state -- compared to just 16 percent for his Democratic challenger, Pete Ashdown.

Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, received 48 percent of individual donations from out of state. His in-party challenger, John Jacob, provided most of his money himself, but the little he had from other individuals all came from Utahns. (Democratic challenger Christian Burridge has not yet filed campaign disclosure forms.)

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, is an exception among incumbents and receives relatively little from out of state -- just 27 percent of money from individual donors. His Republican challenger, state Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, received just 1 percent from out of state and also provided most of his own money.

Courting Utahns

Politicians have long said it is difficult to raise money in Utah because it does not have an abundance of wealthy people, and many Utahns seem to prefer to donate more to churches and charities than politics.

But Matheson, who has raised about $150,000 from individual Utah donors this election cycle, said Utah money for politics is there -- if politicians are willing to work hard for it.

"If you are willing to work it and talk to people, you can find it. Most people who give to me know me well," he says.

Another example is that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney recently raised $1.2 million in Utah to help his presidential campaign, thanks to contacts he made while heading the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee.

Matheson says he spends four to six hours a week on the telephone seeking funds. Because members of Congress cannot use federal phones or office space for such activities, that forces him to work out of his campaign or party offices in Utah and Washington.

"The people who know me are in Utah, so that's where I raise the most," he says.

But, Matheson -- who hopes to raise $2 million for this year's campaign in his heavily Republican district -- adds that most easy- to-find, "low-hanging fruit" for incumbents is out-of-state money from special-interest political action committees and lobbyists.

That is probably why three of the top 10 areas for individuals donating to Utah's congressional races this year are the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland -- places where lobbyists tend to live around the nation's capital. It is also where most PACs are based.

'Where the fish are'

Dave Hansen, Hatch's campaign manager, acknowledges: "To a great degree, we can get money easier (around the nation's capital) than in Utah. Remember, the senator spends a lot of time in D.C., so he can do a lot of fund-raisers there."