California leads nation in presidential donations

[question everything]

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/02/07/news/state/2_6_0416_59_08.txt

(snip)

Californians from Hollywood to the Silicon Valley have given $24.5 million to presidential candidates in the 2004 campaign, according to a preliminary study of campaign finance filings by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. That accounts for $1 of every $10 collected by all presidential candidates through Jan. 31, 2004, and about $1 of every $5 for the leading Democratic contenders.

(snip)

Outside the District of Columbia, where many special interest groups are based, California also leads the nation in soft money contributions -- residents have given $38 million since 2000.

California also holds 55 of 538 electoral votes, or one-fifth of the 271 votes needed to win a presidential election.

The bulk of California's campaign contributors are retirees, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Though significant donations have come from the entertainment industry, like Hollywood producer and Democratic activist Stephen Bing who gave close to $1 million in soft money contributions to presidential hopeful John Edwards.

While more than half of the contributions go to Democrats, President Bush, who lost here in 2000 by 1.3 million votes, has raised about $11 million of his $108 million campaign funds so far here.

(snip)

[pinniped]

1. Well pres. ASSHOLE he need not come here.

Stay the f*ck out like it did last time.

[catzies]

2. We wish. But that's why Arnie's the gubernator now!

Oh and when did we get one more electoral vote? I see we're up to 55 now and I thought it was 54.

[question everything]

3. Because of the 2000 census?

If Bush would carry the same states that he did in 2000, he will easily win, because blue states lost population (and electoral votes) while red ones won. Thankfully, California is the exception.

[maggrwaggr]

4. California's one of the richest countries in the world

I believe Southern California along ranks 10th in the economies of the world.

The statistics don't say anything but that. There's more money here, a lot more.

that's why a house in my part of town (Santa Monica) costs about 800,000 for your basic little two bedroom.

Ugh.