Ron Paul Leads in Defense Contributions
Reports Defense News:
Ron Paul may not support increasing defense spending, but he is certainly receiving the support of those who work in the defense industry.
U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) contribution records analyzed by Defense News showed that the GOP presidential hopeful received both the most contributions and the largest total amount of cash among Republican candidates from employees of the world’s top 100 defense companies.
Those employees contributed a total of $177,413.39 to Paul’s campaign in 2011, spread over 824 individual contributions for an average of $215.31.
Mitt Romney, whose platform includes an increase in defense spending, barely trails Paul in the total value of contributions, with $173,835. But Romney, who is battling Rick Santorum for the lead in national opinion polls, received only 198 contributions. The resulting average — $877.95 — far outpaced any other candidate, more than doubling the next highest, Santorum’s $409.25…
Paul’s support, given his position that defense spending needs to be reined in, would seem to run contrary to the economic interests of the defense company employees donating to his campaign.
Thompson said the numbers reflect a wider political reality about contractors. “There’s a strong libertarian streak among many in the sector,” he said. “Just because people work in the defense industry, doesn’t mean that they always vote their economic interests.”
Gary Howard, a spokesman for the Paul campaign, cited the support of members of the military as evidence of Paul’s broad base.
“Those in the defense community, like other supporters, likely find that Dr. Paul’s common-sense foreign policy and the serious attention he pays to our nation’s number one security threat — our debt — are the most vital issues a presidential candidate must address…”
Paul is also receiving a majority of the contributions from members of the armed services, a Feb. 9 report by Military Times found…
