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Outsiders fund Utah incumbents' campaigns
Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 1, 2008 by Copyright 2008 Deseret News By Lee Davidson
Utahns may elect their members of Congress. But someone else is paying the bills for their campaigns this year.
In the case of incumbents, it is outsiders -- 87 cents of every dollar they have raised this two-year cycle has come from outside of Utah.
In the case of their challengers, their money is coming largely from their own pockets -- 69 cents of every dollar they raised, according to Deseret News analysis of Federal Election Commission data for the current election cycle through the end of March.
Is the situation healthy or does it mean that members of Congress from Utah could be too beholden to someone besides Utah voters for their jobs?
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"Political scientists have for years studied any connection between donations (from Political Action Committees) and voting," said Kelly Patterson, a Brigham Young University political science professor.
He believes that connection is at best weak and is only a factor if a congressional member's vote in favor of a special-interest position is seen as harmful to his or her core constituency.
Federal campaign finance "is a tough issue," said Patterson.
The Founding Fathers wanted U.S. House members to run every two years, so they would be close to their voting constituency, Patterson said. But the cost of elections is now so high, that means U.S. House members are constantly raising campaign money and working on the next election.
"It is just a fact that it is easier to raise money in the big chunks from PACs. And the only congressmen who get in trouble with their constituencies are those who, over time, don't pay attention to folks at home," Patterson said.
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, known for his fundraising prowess, said he historically raises a greater percent of his campaign cash from Utahns than do others in the congressional delegation. But Matheson doesn't apologize from getting a lot of PAC money, as well.
"You get a lot of D.C. addresses on groups that give to me," said Matheson. "But in many of those cases these are PACs that represent groups in Utah -- like firefighters, teachers, auto dealers -- and their Utah members then advocate with the national (PACs) to donate to me. I raise money from a wide range of people, and that is good."
So, believes Matheson, a chunk of the political action dues that Utahns are paying into their national organizations find their way back into Matheson's coffers. But he said he has no idea what percent of his overall PAC donations that could be.
Utah individuals and groups provided only 7.5 cents of every dollar raised by Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, and 12 cents of every dollar raised by Matheson.
In fact, Utah is not even the top state or territory to give to that pair. Utah comes in No. 3 for both, behind the District of Columbia and Virginia. Those places, of course, are home to many special interest groups that lobby Congress.
Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, receives 45 percent of what he has raised from Utah, and for him it ranked No. 1 among all states. Still, 55 percent of what he raised came from outside of Utah.
Most of that outside money for incumbents is coming from political action committees set up by special-interest groups.
Such PACs provided 82 percent of all money raised by the three incumbents. PACs provided only 1 percent of the money raised by challengers.
Among the three incumbents, Cannon received 89 percent of his money from PACs; Matheson received 82 percent from them; and Bishop received 48 percent -- the only incumbent to receive more from individuals than from PACs.
PACs interested in a member's congressional committee assignments often give the most.
For example, Matheson is on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees such things as health care, consumer issues and energy policy. He has received at least $170,000 from health-care PACs, $140,000 from finance industry PACs and $84,600 from energy and natural resources PACs, the newspaper's study found.
"I'm sure there are" donations coming to him from groups interested in the legislation and issues that come before his committees, said Matheson. He said he talks to a great many people and groups who have interests in Congress, and he believes they give to him because they like the job he's doing.
"I'm running against a millionaire (Republican) candidate, and he will self-fund his campaign," said Matheson. While so-called third- party or independent ad campaigns opposing Matheson didn't materialize in the 2006 race, they have actively opposed his re- election in previous years.
"I plan and expect such opposition each election, and I must have the financial resources to fight them," Matheson said. He raised around $2 million in 2006, and he plans on raising that much this election as well.
Historically, individuals make political donations closer to the November election, Matheson said, and he believes his individual donations will grow more this summer.
Also, Cannon is a member of the Judiciary Committee, and is the ranking Republican on its Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee that often deals with business and communications law. He received $78,000 from communications and technology PACs, $49,500 from finance industry PACs and $47,750 from PACs for retail and service business PACs.
