On the Records: Diving Deeper Into Perry's War Chest
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On Thursday morning we released a searchable database of Gov. Rick Perry's campaign contributions from 2000 to 2010, giving readers an easy way to learn more about the individuals and organizations that have supported Perry for the past decade.
We have prepared a series of graphics and tables (below) that examine Perry's success in growing his war chest from year to year and from campaign to campaign, and which cities and individuals or entities have done the most to ensure the governor's electoral success in Texas.
* 2011 only represents campaign finance reports filed up to July 15, 2011.
During the 2002 and 2006 campaigns, Perry didn't face much pressure in the Republican Party primary. There was no need for huge amounts of fundraising in the years, 2001 and 2005, leading up to those primary elections. But during the 2010 election, things changed. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Tea Party favorite Debra Medina made it necessary for Perry to raise more cash. And so he did, raising more than $11 million in 2009 alone.
But the boost in 2009 was just a lead-up to Perry's most successful fundraising year in 2010, when he pulled in $27.9 million. By the end of the 2010 election, Perry had raised $49.4 million and defeated his Democratic opponent, former Houston Mayor Bill White.
Top 10 contributing cities
| Location | Count | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | 9,573 | $23,745,670.52 |
| Dallas, TX | 6,168 | $15,770,879.46 |
| Austin, TX | 7,104 | $15,217,860.86 |
| San Antonio, TX | 6,258 | $6,979,666.63 |
| Washington, DC | 203 | $5,729,246.28 |
| El Paso, TX | 2,271 | $3,476,350.93 |
| Fort Worth, TX | 2316 | $2,475,107.01 |
| Plano, TX | 913 | $1,370,246.89 |
| Irving, TX | 535 | $1,303,542.82 |
| Midland, TX | 1318 | $1,186,822.25 |
Houston leads the pack of the top 10 cities that have contributed to Perry from 2000 to 2010, with almost 10,000 individuals and entities donating nearly $24 million. Dallas, Austin and San Antonio come in at second, third and fourth, respectively.
No. 5 is Washington, D.C., with 203 donors contributing $5.7 million. Most of that money, $4 million, came from the Republican Governors Association.
Top 10 contributors
| Contributor | Affiliation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Republican Governors Association (RGA) | Republican Governors Association (RGA) | $4,000,000.00 |
| Bob and Doylene Perry | Perry Homes | $2,581,799.40 |
| Harold Simmons | Contran Corporation | $1,120,000.00 |
| Republican National State Election Committee | Republican National State Election Committee | $750,000.00 |
| Thomas Friedkin | Gulf States Toyota | $716,307.74 |
| Kenny Troutt | WinStar Farm | $705,000.00 |
| Friends of Phil Gramm PAC | PAC, former U.S. senator | $610,000.00 |
| George Ryan | Ryan & Co. | $550,000.00 |
| Peter Holt | San Antonio Spurs, HOLT CAT | $537,740.09 |
| Robert and Mica Mosbacher | Mosbacher Energy Company | $490,258.45 |
The association was Perry's top single contributor, followed by Houston home builder Bob Perry (no relation) at $2.5 million. Perry has received at least $12 million from his top 10 contributors, including $5.5 million in 2010 alone.
Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.
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