1 out of 3 N.O. donors favor Obama

If the presidential primaries are any indication, Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama will find financial donors in New Orleans far more numerous and generous than his Republican opponent Sen. John McCain will.

During the 2007-08 primary season, Obama boasted more than 300 times the number of New Orleans donors as McCain, 267 to 86. The Illinois senator also bested his Arizona counterpart by $72,000 in money raised in New Orleans, $200,660 versus $128,455. The entire Democratic field nearly doubled the Republican total, $579,303 to $296,682, and attracted 250 times the number of donors, 568 to 229, in the city, according to public records filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Much of Obama's success in New Orleans rested on his party's ability to solicit small donations from a large number of people. Democrats received sums of $450 or less from 241 individuals compared with 56 for the Republicans.

Britton Lofton, Louisiana Democratic Party executive director, said the party's success with small donors increases their reach and mobilization efforts.

"Individuals who don't make a lot of money typically give small dollar amounts to Democratic candidates, and that increases our grassroots support," Lofton said. "You have one person that donates $2,300 compared to a whole crowd of people who donate $25. You start with one $25 donation and then branch out to family and friends, and that's a lot of votes."

Obama's success in New Orleans comes as no surprise, said Aaron Baer, communications director for the Louisiana Republican Party. The city is a longtime Democratic stronghold and the opposing party is more energized than ever, he said. But attracting hundreds of $200 donors is not the only way to build a grassroots movement.

"There are a number of people who sign up as volunteers who put up signs and work phone banks," Baer said. "The people who commit time are equally as valuable as people who want to commit their financial resources."

Depending on Obama's strategy and the way the polls play out, the Louisiana Republican party may not have to expend much effort raising money for McCain.

"If Obama puts Louisiana in his top tier states that he thinks he can win, then we need to raise a lot of money," Baer said. "But we won't have any trouble doing it because the McCain campaign will help us bring in surrogates, and McCain will come down here himself and help us raise a bunch of money.

"But if Obama isn't going to make a play for Louisiana, and based on the polls I don't think he will, then I don't think this is a state that McCain is going to need to spend very much money on. At that point we concentrate on raising money for the Senate race (for Sen. Mary Landrieu's seat), and for that I believe we can raise a serious amount of money."

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