Many GOP Donors Yet to Open Wallets

More than a third of the top fundraisers who helped elect George W. Bush president remain on the sidelines in 2008, contributing to a gaping financial disparity between the GOP candidates and their Democratic counterparts.

Scores of Bush Pioneers and Rangers are not working for any Republican candidate, citing discontent with the war in Iraq, anger at the performance of Republicans in Congress and a general lack of enthusiasm. More than two dozen have actually made contributions to Democrats.


Matt Fong, a former California state treasurer, 1998 U.S. Senate candidate and two-time Bush Pioneer, said that after months of disappointment in the Republican Party, he had hoped to be recharged by the new crop of presidential candidates.

"I have yet to get interested in any of them," he said. "I'm just not happy with the direction of our party. I think we have a huge credibility problem, which I have not seen any of the candidates show the ability to rise above."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/16/AR2007101602294.html?hpid=topnews

The average Rep donor does not care who their candidate is, as long as that candidate is wearing the right color tie. They can have consternation over the guys now, but they don't really care since it's not like the average Rep voter will vote for a Democrat.

Many Democratic donors are trying to help their favorite candidate crush the other Democratic candidates. They're showing idealism now, trying to promote who they think is best to run against the Republican.

When the primaries are complete, and the final candidates are known, THEN the big money will come in for the Republicans. They will let the Democrats crush each other in the press on the way to the nomination. The Republicans will save their money so they can attack the opposing Democratic candidate.

I won't donate to any candidates at this time. I want my money spent defeating a Republican. Not running anti-Democratic ads.

Or at least, that's my theory.

The GOP can run a relatively low cost primary, and when we have presumptive nominees in (probably) February (sooner?) there will be a whole smorgasbord of GOP donors that haven't pumped out their $2,300 to any candidate, while the funding sources of the Democratic nominee may be more exhausted. It is sure to be an interesting race.

Talk about a lackluster lot. If there's ever been a blighted crop, it's this one.

That if you give the car keys to a 4 year old, the car will be wrapped around a tree in no time. As has been said by many a comedian, Republicans are the ones who run on a platform that government doesn't work, and after they win, they work their darnedest to prove it's true.

I have to give them credit though, they had a good idea with term limits. Now if they could add the "personal responsibility" they are so fond of to the equation we could have some real quality control in government. Imagine if a politician's retirement was based on what he accomplished while he was in office. Health care and coverage for all children? Why you did well, you can retire to a comfortable condo with an ocean view. What's that you say, your main accomplishment in office was gay-bashing before you had to quit for soliciting in a men's room? I think you'll have to live in a run-down tenement in Newark and pull night watchman duty at the sewage treatment plant to make ends meet.

this hs been an extraordinarily long Primary Season...x( , I have also said that bush/Cheney have destroyed the GOP for at least a generation. Most R's are decent people with differing views tan we have, but they are not the voracious neo-cons we are dealing with now.

I am in NE, about as Red a State as one can get, and people here are seriously ticked off at what the GOP has become. Neo-cons, fundies, war mongers are in the serious minority these days. When the fundies announced they demanded a "Right to Life" candidate or they'd split from the GOP, an audible sigh of relief went out.

Fortenberry, my Congressman, won by only a few % points last election, unheard of for an R in these parts...and other #'s are looking bad as well.

The neo-con ship is sinking, and I truly believe that bush has sunk the GOP for at least 20 years.

Most GOP donors will pony up something, but they don't have anything that resembles a good candidate...it is almost as if this election is a sacrifice.