Romney's Mormon Money Paradox
By AmandaBCarpenter Posted in 2008 | Romney — Comments (16) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R.) can’t break double-digits in the polls in his campaign for the 2008 Republican nomination for President, but has somehow set the pace for GOP fundraising. What gives?
Today, Romney pulls only 9.7% on the Real Clear Politics poll average. Yet, he leads the pack in Republican fundraising, posting a cool $23.4 million in the first quarter of the 2008 presidential election. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who leads the RCP poll with 31.5% only raised $16.6 million. Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.), who polls 19% raised a little over $13 million.
So, where is Romney’s money coming from and how come it doesn’t translate in a poll boost?
A partial answer to the first question is Utah.
Read on please
Like roughly 62% of the state’s population, Romney is a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. He is also well-known to Utahans because of his work there as head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Of all the money contributed to presidential elections from Utah residents in the first quarter, Romney received 91% of it. Utah residents gave more than $3 million to the 2008 election and $2.77 million of that went to Romney’s coffers, according to an analysis conducted by Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City.
Money-in-Politics Reporter Lindsay Renick Mayer of the Center for Responsive Politics which tracks campaign spending, noted that in the 2004 presidential race Utah ranked 40th among the states in political contributions. Now, it is 13th. Mayer said Romney’s candidacy is the reason.
According to a February survey for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV by Dan Jones & Associates, Romney tallied 45%. McCain picked up 11% of Utahans and Giuliani netted 7%.
Mayer explained, “As a Mormon, Romney has developed ties to the state that boasts the largest Mormon population in the country. Nearly 92 percent of Utah’s contributions so far have gone to the former Massachusetts governor, and the state’s total to Romney for just the first quarter is nearly half the $5.4 million it contributed to all candidates during the entire 2004 race. The state’s capital, Salt Lake City, has emerged as one of the most generous cities of the ’08 cycle, along with traditional toppers Los Angeles and New York.”
At least two notably wealthy Mormon families have lined up contributions for the Romney campaign in the first quarter. The family of Forbes 400-member Jon Huntsman Sr., who owns the largest petrochemical company in the world, gave more than $170,000. (Jon Huntsman Sr.’s son, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is a committed McCain supporter). Family members of Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller contributed $100,000.
Romney has also done well fundraising in other states with high Mormon populations. In Idaho, the state with the second highest concentration of Mormon residents, Romney raised $214,756 from 168 different donors. By comparison, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.), who raised more than GOP or Democrat presidential candidate, only received $11,700 from eight Idahoans. Giuliani only raised $10,950 from 11 donors there.
In Wyoming, which has the third highest concentration of Mormon constituents, Romney received $32,250 from 26 contributors. Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) raised the second-highest amount of money in that state. He received $14,900 from 15 contributors. Clinton was given $2,050 from eight donors there. Three donors from Wyoming wrote checks to the Giuliani campaign that totaled $5,600.
But will the Mormon money advantage translate into better poll numbers nationwide, or more importantly, votes?
Historically, Utah voters have a terrible primary voter turnout record. The State Elections office found that the June 27, 2006 primary only netted 13.39% of voters. In 2004, Utah GOP skipped out of the primary and didn’t hold one for President Bush’s reelection. In 2002, Utah held their primary on March 10. Only 10% of the voters showed up at the ballots.
Utah has since moved their primary date up to “Super Duper Tuesday” on February 5 2008 to keep pace with the other 26 states that could be voting that day. But Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics told the Salt Lake Tribune “it really doesn’t matter when Utah holds its primary” because the state only has a population of 2.6 million and will be swamped by larger states with more delegates.
Another point worth considering is that when Romney reported his first quarter fundraising activities, $2.35 million of Romney’s $23.4 total had been transferred from his personal money. Take away Romney’s personal money and the cash he raised in Utah, which adds up to $5.12 million, Romney raised $18.8 million -- which puts Giuliani’s fundraising numbers much closer to Romney’s.
Yet, Giuliani is still far ahead of Romney in the national polls, 31.5% to 9.7%. Granted, Giuliani hasn’t been tagged with a memorable negative label like “flip-flopper” yet, but what remains to be seen is this: Is Romney’s Mormon cash an advantage or a paradox?
This article first appeared on HumanEvents.Com, where Amanda B. Carpenter is Assistant Editor/Congressional Correspondent
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Romney's Mormon Money Paradox 16 Comments (0 topical, 16 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Romney is widely viewed in Utah as the knight in shining armor that saved the state from the Olympics bribery scandal. He was not only billed as the person that could save the Olympic games - he delivered in a big way (games were very successful; turned a humongous budget deficient into a surplus; restored Utahns' faith in the games after the bribery scandal). That was very impressive to just about everyone in Utah (even the uber-liberal mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky Anderson).
Other Mormon presidential candidates have not even come close to enjoying the mythical status that Romney does do to his work on the Olympic games. Orrin Hatch hardly got any money during his presidential campaign (as misguided as it was). Also, Mormons don't just vote for someone because they are a Mormon. If Harry Reid (another Mormon) showed up in Utah for a fundraiser, he would hardly get anything.
Ok. So let’s ignore all Mormons and assume they don’t vote and only have money. How else do you explain the difference between Rudy and Mitt? They rose close to same amount of money. Yet Rudy’s numbers are easily twice Romney's nationally. Why then did Romney make as much as Rudy?
A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever. -John Adams
If the author of this piece wasn't so intent on pointing out the bad in Romney's fundraising then this entire piece could have been summarized by:
"Even after you take all the Mormon money and personal money from Romney's fundraising totals he still beat Guiliani by over $2M."
* "Mormon money" should probably be in quotations since the author of the piece seems to be making the assumption based on the donor's state of origin.
Uh, Phil Gramm also lead the money chase when he ran for President. And George Allen had 10 million dollars and still lost a few months ago. Money doesn't mean votes..
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I don't care what his religion is or how much money he's got it's his flip flopping that has sunk his candidacy before it even got started. Just go to youtube he can't possibly be taken seriously. The Clinton machine would crush him like a bug on a windsheild if he somehow pulled a miracle and won the Republican nomination.
Are you implying that getting money from Mormons makes Romney's candidacy less legitimate? Because that seems to be the tone and implication.
Does the population of the most Republican state in the country need to shut up and stay out of Presidential politics?
When it comes to Romney, why does everyone seem to feel the need to follow the MSM spin on stories, but people don't feel the need to do that with any of the other candidates?
have to do with his religion? I am not supporting Mitt or anyone else yet but am getting sick of all the BS coming out of some people on this site about Utah and Mormons. Would you rather we vote for the liberals. I don't hear the same about other candidates. I am a Mormon and yes I meant BS.
... then try to imagine how you would feel about a candidate who professed to believe in and worship Zeus, or Thor, or Shiva, or any other "god" that you were convinced did not exist.
I know, you'll tell me that it's the same god that you worship. According to Mormon doctrine, that's probably correct. But according to mainstream Christian doctrine, it's clearly not (which is to say that acknowledging the validity of Mormon religious beliefs is inconsistent with Christianity, at least as the major churches teach it).
I'm not trying to start a religious war here: I'm an atheist, so I'm a neutral observer. I'm just trying to explain to you what I think is behind some of your incomprehension.
We worship Jesus Christ. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."
I don't want a religious war either but I thought most people knew we didn't worship pagan Gods and Idols. I'm not even supporting Mitt yet but I really thought the Mormon thing would be secondary to the issues. The issues are why I'm not comfortable with him.
wouldn't have a problem voting for someone who worshiped Shiva. I know I wouldn't. I also don't think so little of "mainstream Christians" as to believe that they would vote against someone because of doctrinal differences. But then again I try to believe the best about people.
A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever. -John Adams
I didn't suggest that Cowboy (or mainstream Christians) would vote against someone who worshipped Shiva, but they sure would talk about it a lot! Which is what Cowboy was wondering about.
Cowboy - I tried to address your point in my post: yes, Mormons consider themselves to be worshipping the same god as Christians, which is easy enough to do because Mormon doctrine is supposed to be a further revelation of the same god.
But to the mainstream Christian churches, revelation ends with the Bible, as interpreted and elucidated by the Church. Anyone who worships something that's different to what's described in the Christian bible and teaching is not worshipping God/Christ.
Which makes a certain amount of logical sense from their perspective. From the perspective of a mormon, both the bible and the book of mormon can be correct/divinely inspired. From a mainstream Christian perspective, they can't.
I don't believe that many people have ill will toward Mormons.
I do understand why some have a problem with some doctrine.
Any claim that we don't worship Jesus Christ is wrong because we believe the Bible to be true. His atonement, and salvation through Him is the cornerstone of my faith.
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to convert anyone here or argue with you either. The Bible refers to Prophets all through the ages. Romney believing God would continue to do so is not such a radical idea as to make his decision making ability unfit for office. IMO. This is what I mean about not understanding the constant reference to his faith when we discuss him and it not being the case with others.
I just don't see it as a radical concept but I have no problem with those who do.
... in fact, it's perfectly logical for someone brought up in the Mormon faith. All I'm saying is that it doesn't fit so neatly into others' belief systems, hence the attention.
He had the most money and went nowhere. Why is Rommey raising alot of money? Several powerful people are supporting him like Jeb Bush and the Ebay CEO. Rommey has gotten alot of state politicians to endorse his campaign. Unfortunately for him, the base wants someone else. As the field now stands, Rudy will win. Why? Because Florida(in the process) and California are moving their primary up. This election will be about name recognition and media buys. Rudy is currently leading polls in the state of Florida.
Let's star the clock to see how long it is before Hugh Hewitt calls you a religious bigot.