Governors' Groups Tops in Raising Cash

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Full story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060805/D8JAEF900.html

Governors' Groups Tops in Raising Cash
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Aug 5, 2:45 PM (ET)

By ROBERT TANNER

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The curtain is about to rise on one of the most competitive national seasons for governors races in years, and the money to finance it is already pouring into campaign coffers.

With tight elections in many of the most critical states, governors' political groups are leading all other similar organizations in cash raised so far.

The annual summer meeting of the National Governors Association captures the governors' tricky balancing act - while days are focused on policy, such as health care and education, the governors who gathered here Saturday started their day split into partisan camps to review strategies and the latest polls.

"The elections are a point of major discussion," said this year's host governor, Republican Mark Sanford. "'What you hear and how you doing?' Compare and contrast, that sort of thing."


Arkansas Governor and National Governors Association Chair Mike Huckabee, center, is joined by Arizona Governor and NGA Vice Chair Janet Napolitano, left, and host South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, right, at the Opening News Conference of the National Governor's Association Convention in Charleston, S.C. on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006. The curtain is about to rise on one of the most competitive national contests for governors races in years, with the money to ensure it already pouring into campaign coffers. Their annual summer meeting captures the governors' tricky balancing act _ days focused on policy like health care and education, while early breakfasts and late nights bring political strategists and lobbyists. (AP Photo/Alice Keeney)


There are 36 gubernatorial contests to be decided this fall, livened by the handful of governors who are looking to compete for the White House in two years.

An analysis of the latest fundraising by the Democratic Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association showed they were the top groups structured as a 527 - named for a tax code provision that became a well-used loophole in campaign finance reform, allowing unlimited soft money contributions.

The Republican Governors Association reported $25.9 million raised so far in the two-year 2006 election cycle. Roughly $12 million of that was raised this year alone, RGA officials say. The Democratic Governors Association reported $17.9 million raised, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan watchdog group in Washington that tracks campaign financing.

Their totals outpace all other similar fundraising groups, including the $15.6 million raised by the Service Employees International Union and $11.6 million raised by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.