Report details money in Texas politics

The Associated Press

Texas statewide and legislative candidates raised a combined $158 million for their 2006 campaigns, according to an extensive new study by a nonprofit group that tracks political fundraising.
The online report “Money in PoliTex,” released Thursday by Texans for Public Justice, analyzes campaign funds raised by 378 candidates for top statewide offices and the Legislature. Those who won the 173 races raised two-thirds of all the money.
The top individual donors in Texas’ 2006 election to all campaigns were homebuilder Bob Perry and his wife Doylene of Houston, who gave a combined $7.16 million, followed by businessman James Leininger and his wife Cecilia of San Antonio, who contributed $5.55 million.
Both couples were donors to Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
Bob Perry and James Leininger also were the top two individual Texas donors in the 2002 election.
There were 142 people or couples who gave totals exceeding $100,000 last year. Lawyers and lobbyists made up the largest interest group that gave money to candidates, having donated $23 million overall.
“This report boils down raw Texas Ethics Commission data into a citizen-friendly format,” said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public Justice. “Following the money is crucial in a state that puts no limit on the amount big donors can contribute to politicians.”
Excluding the big donations to their own campaigns in 2002 made by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and gubernatorial candidate Tony Sanchez, totaling $68 million in personal money, the report found that fundraising for statewide and legislative offices grew 32 percent from 2002 to 2006, McDonald said.
Fundraising also grew for legislative candidates since the 2004 elections. Texas Senate candidates increased their fundraising 38 percent, while Texas House candidates increased their fundraising 39 percent over that period.
The report lists donation details for each officeholder covered in the study.
On the Net:
Texans for Public Justice at www.tpj.org