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On the Records: Perry's Financial Sector Donors

Rick Perry attacked Mitt Romney on Tuesday for his history at Bain Capital, a private equity firm. Similar companies, though, have contributed generously over the past 11 years to the Texas governor's campaigns.

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Update: In a statement emailed to the Tribune Wednesday morning, Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said, "Those who succeed off of successfully turning companies around deserve every cent of what they earn. Capitalism is about making money from success, not profiting off of others' failure, as Romney did in certain instances at Bain Capital."

"Gov. Romney has made his Bain business experience the ultimate rationale for his candidacy, so a close look at the reality of the Bain record is an entirely appropriate part of the primary campaign debate."

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Gov. Rick Perry was on the offensive Tuesday afternoon in South Carolina, attacking Mitt Romney for his tenure at Bain Capital, a private equity firm. But over the last 11 years, similar companies have been generous to Perry's gubernatorial campaigns.

According to a Texans for Public Justice analysis of campaign contributions to the Perry campaign since 2000, the governor has received more than $7 million from private equity firms, private investment firms, investment banks and hedge funds, and their employees. In that period, Perry won three gubernatorial campaigns: in 2002, 2006 and 2010.

The third-largest donor to Perry's gubernatorial campaigns, Harold Simmons, is the chairman of Dallas-based Contran Corporation, a holding company that owns stakes in various subsidiaries. Simmons tops the list with $1,120,000 in contributions to Perry. Gary Petersen, the managing director of Houston-based EnCap Investments, comes in second with $400,000 in contributions. EnCap Investments is a private-equity firm involved in the U.S. oil and gas sector.

Calls to a Perry campaign representative weren't immediately returned.

Use the table below to explore the the 79 financial sector contributors of at least $15,000 to Perry's gubernatorial campaigns. Each row is the aggregate total of contributions from that individual or entity between 2001 and July 2010. 

Financial Sector Contributions to Rick Perry, 2001 to July 2010
LastFirstLocationEmployerOccupationContributions
Simmons Harold Dallas, TX Contran Corp. Chair $1,120,000.00
Petersen Gary R. Houston, TX EnCap Investments LP Managing Director $400,500.00
Tate Charles & Judy Sugarland, TX Capital Royalty LLC Chair $395,069.80
Simmons L. E. Houston, TX SCF Partners President $390,111.08
Pickens T. Boone Dallas, TX BP Capital CEO $377,500.00
Hicks Steve & Donna Austin, TX Capstar Partners LLC Chair $365,001.55
McStay John Dallas, TX McStay & Associates President $247,401.44
Wyly Sam Dallas, TX Ranger Capital Entrepeneur/Investor $215,000.00
Topfer Morton L. Austin, TX Castletop Capital Management Managing Director $207,000.00
Dondero James Dallas, TX Highland Capital Management LP CEO & Founder $201,462.89
Lee James Houston, TX Ascendant Advisors, LLC Principal $190,401.66
Wilson James P. Sugar Land, TX Rice Sangalis Toole & Wilson   $177,300.00
Wyly Jr. Charles J. Dallas, TX Ranger Capital Executive $125,000.00
Stillwell Robert Houston, TX BP Capital Attorney $120,000.00
Goldsbury Jr. Christopher (Kit) San Antonio, TX Silver Ventures Inc. Owner $114,500.00
Hicks Thomas O. Dallas, TX Hicks Muse Tate & Furst Information Requested $110,847.88
Hiles Marcus Coppell, TX Western Rim Investments President $106,000.00
Bass J. Kyle Dallas, TX Hayman Advisors, LP Managing Partner $101,000.00
Davis Ray Dallas, TX Energy Transfer Partners Investments $101,000.00
Rennert Ira New York, NY Renco Group Principal $100,000.00
Miller Charles & Beth Houston, TX Meridian Advisors   $100,000.00
Jackson Alfred Houston, TX Inroads Group   $92,000.00
MAXXAM Inc.PAC   Houston, TX MAXXAM Inc.   $76,000.00
Gorman John and Tamra Austin, TX Tejas Securties CEO $73,730.68
Aragona Joe Austin, TX Austin Ventures Venture Capitalist $65,000.00
Whaling R. Graham Houston, TX Parkman Whaling LLC Co-Founder $62,000.00
Booth David Los Angeles, CA Dimensional Fund Advisors/Booth Family Trust Director $60,000.00
King Luther Dallas, TX Luther King Capital Management President $58,500.00
Lay H. Ward Dallas, TX Lay Capital Group Executive $55,500.00
Gauntt Robert Houston, TX Avalon Advisors LP Partner Co-founder $55,343.57
Lilly Kevin J. & Lesley K. Houston, TX Avalon Advisors LP Partner $55,276.82
Brock Todd Beaumont, TX Brock Enterprises Owner $55,000.00
Deaton III Alfred Houston, TX Deaton Holdings Investments $55,000.00
Feste Sr. Gregory Austin, TX Feste Capital Holdings Ltd. CEO & Chair $53,920.79
Austin Tony Heath, TX Westdale Asset Management Managing Director $51,000.00
HH Family Investments Ltd. xqqx San Antonio, TX     $50,000.00
McElvenny Jr. Ralph Houston, TX McElvenny Interests Entrepreneur $43,000.00
Colonnetta Joe Dallas, TX HM Capital Investments $41,808.36
Bridwell Tucker Abilene, TX Mansefeldt Investment Corporation President $36,150.00
Vest Herb D. Dallas, TX Herb Vest Investments Principal $35,000.00
Underwood David M. Houston, TX Underwood Wachovia Securities Stock Broker $34,500.00
Smith Alan Houston, TX Cockrell Interests Principal $32,500.00
Roberts & Hatchett   Kilgore, TX     $32,500.00
Goerl Conrad New York, NY Centaurus Hedge Fund Trader $30,000.00
Nini Mark Houston, TX GN Ventures   $29,000.00
Seay George E. Dallas, TX Seay Stewardship and Investment Co   $28,250.00
Pickering Jr. Robert Houston, TX   Investments $27,000.00
Abraham Salem Canadian, TX Abraham Trading stocks and bonds $26,000.00
Sharbutt David Lubbock, TX Self Investments $26,000.00
Winkel Carol Carpenter Midland, TX Winkel Enterprises President $25,250.00
Jordan Don Houston, TX Jordan Capitol Management Independent Investor $25,250.00
Hartman David A. or Claudette Austin, TX Hartman & Associates Chair $25,100.00
King Luther & Teresa Fort Worth, TX Luther King Capital Management Founder $25,000.00
R. Hall Investment Properties   Tustin, CA     $25,000.00
Sheth Brian Austin, TX Vista Equity Partners Principal $25,000.00
Robson Bruce Gulf Stream, TX Robvest CEO $25,000.00
Smith Henry J. Dallas, TX Bud Smith Organization Executive $25,000.00
Miller David B. Dallas, TX EnCap Investments LP   $25,000.00
Loyd Jr. Paul Houston, TX Penloyd Holdings LLC Investor $25,000.00
King Jr. J Luther Dallas, TX Luther King Capital Managment President & CEO $24,800.00
Holloway Graham Georgetown, TX   Best Efforts $21,100.00
Schweitzer John C. Austin, TX   Investments $20,250.00
Harrison William Houston, TX Self Rancher and Investor $20,000.00
O'Neal Theodore Bellaire, TX Inroads Group Principal $20,000.00
Bleyzer Michael Houston, TX Sigma Bleyzer President $20,000.00
Seaman Eugene J. Corpus Christi, TX Financial Service Manager Former State Rep. $19,778.64
Riter III A. W. & Cynthia Tyler, TX Riter Mgt. Co. L.C. General Partner $17,844.17
New York Mercantile Exchange PAC   New York, NY New York Mercantile Exchange   $17,500.00
Hawn Sr. George S. Corpus Christi, TX American Bank Chairman Emeritus $17,500.00
Windham Jr. James M. Houston, TX Windham Capital Advisory Services Investment Advisor $17,450.00
McLaughlin John San Antonio, TX Capital Group Companies Senior Vice President $17,000.00
Langston II Willie Houston, TX Morgan Stanley Best Efforts $17,000.00
Cemo Michael J. Houston, TX Michael J Cemo Interests Investing $15,500.00
Zorich Robert L. Houston, TX En Cap Investments LP Officer $15,500.00
Bosarge W. E. Houston, TX Quantlab Financia LLC Chairman $15,000.00
Holthouse Michael Houston, TX Holthouse Interests Owner $15,000.00
Shanahan David M. Dallas, TX DMS Management LLC President $15,000.00
Grace Guy Austin, TX GTM Corporation Inv. Mgmt. $15,000.00

Several of the Perry contributors listed here are donors to The Texas Tribune. Joe Aragona, David Booth, Steve Hicks, T. Boone Pickens, Harold Simmons, Robert Stillwell and Charles Tate are major donors. Charles Miller, John Schweitzer and Morton Topfer are donors.

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