Politics & Government

Romney Outpaces Obama in McLean Large Donor Funds

Both candidates raise nearly $2 million from donations greater than $200, but Romney has $100,000 lead

President Barack Obama and the presumptive Republican candidate Mitt Romney have each raised nearly $2 million from Virginia residents who have given at least $200, but the former Massachusetts governor has a $100,000 edge, according to a new report by a nonpartisan group tracking campaign funds.

More than half of the funds raised by each candidate between January and May have come from Northern Virginia, particularly McLean, according to VPAP. McLean is among the nation's top communities for political donations.
 
Romney has raised $1.9 million — 78 percent of it from Northern Virginia, according to VPAP. Thirty-six percent of his contributions came from McLean.

President Obama has raised $1.8 million, 70 percent of which is from Northern Virginia, according to VPAP. Twenty-two percent was from McLean.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Romney has raised a total of $3.8 million from large and small donors in Virginia. Obama has raised a total of $3.6 million from Virginia donors large and small, according to the latest report from Open Secrets, a nonpartisan group that tracks campaign contributions.

The VPAP analysis of donations from large contributors comes as both campaigns are deploying their campaign workers across Virginia, which experts predict will be one of this election's most important .

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Geoff Skelley, a political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, has said that it's not surprising "that McLean is home to the most generous campaign contributors in the state of Virginia. The 22101 and 22102 ZIP codes are just about the richest in the state and are among the wealthiest in the country.”

McLean's median household income is nearly $165,000, according to the U.S. Census. Great Falls is the only jurisdiction that has a higher median household income with $189,000. The median household income for all of Fairfax County is $105,000.

McLean is also the address of major Republican and Democratic fundraisers: Fred Malek is a wealthy businessman who served as national finance co-chair of John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. Bobbie Kilberg formerly worked at the White House and is now president of the Northern Virginia Tech Council. She frequently opens her home to Republican fundraisers.

The first featuring President Obama and former President Bill Clinton was held April 30 at the McLean home of leading Democratic fundraiser Terry McAuliffe.

McAuliffe is former chair of the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign manager and a likely candidate for Virginia governor in 2013. He and his wife frequently open their home for Democratic fundraisers.

Coming Thursday: A list of top McLean donors for Obama and Romney.

                                    Obama               Romney

Total  Va                 $1.8 million              $1.9 million

McLean                       $409, 997               $674,014           

22101                        $217,426                 $420,470

22102                        $192,571                 $253,544

 

Fund Raising by Region Obama           

  Romney

Capital Region

$164,665
$106,624
Coalfields/Southwest
$7,200           
$37,750
I-95 Corridor
$20,850
$16,554
Inside the Beltway
$736,318
$820,158
Northern Virginia
$604,321
$743,778
Peninsula
$30,176
$38,082
Piedmont
$145,521
$39,150
Roanoke/New River
$39,385
$47,200
Shenandoah Valley
$22,994
$32,525
South Hampton Roads
$54,070
$57,315
Southside
$2,300
$7,525

Source: VPAP


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