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50 State Blog Network

The 35% Democrat??? Tony Raimondo By the Numbers

by: Kyle Michaelis

Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 18:52:29 PM CST

In the search for an objective basis by which to judge Tony Raimondo's credibility as a potential Democratic candidate in Nebraska's 2008 Senate race, I've put together what information I can about Raimondo's history of political contributions. What I discovered is that Raimondo, despite being a lifelong Republican, does have a record of giving to Democrats that goes beyond his friend Ben Nelson. This independent streak (or whatever you want to call it) would no doubt have been a significant liability for Raimondo had he run in a Republican primary.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that the below information is going to be incomplete. Raimondo has probably made significant contributions in non-federal Nebraska races that I wasn't able to include in these figures without an easy way to search Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission records. So, what information I have is limited to the federal contributions by Tony Raimondo and his wife, Jeanne Raimondo, as well as those made in Nebraska by Behlen Manufacturing - the company in which Raimondo serves as President and CEO.

Total Contributions from combined FEC and NADC filings available for Tony Raimondo, his wife Jeanne Raimondo and Behlen Manufacturing since 1986 = $74,680.46
Of that sum, total Contributions to Democratic candidates = $26,300 (35.2%)
Some highlights (or lowlights, as the case may be):
*In 2007 alone, Raimondo has contributed $6,200 to Republican committees that would actively work against him if he ran against Mike Johanns as a Democrat.
*In 2000, Behlen Manufacturing contributed $1000 to then-Gov. Mike Johanns - whom Raimondo would most likely challenge in the November 2008 general election if he received the Democratic nomination for Senate. That same year, though, Behlen donated $6000 to the Nebraska Democratic Party.
*Although the only thing most Democratic activists know of Raimondo's ties to the Democratic Party is his friendship with Sen. Ben Nelson, he and his wife contributed a substantial sum ($2550) to Bob Kerrey's Senate campaigns in the mid and late-90s. They also made smaller contributions to Scott Kleeb (NE-03, 2006), Maxine Moul (NE-01, 2006), Jim Simon (NE-02, 2002), and Tom Daschle (SD-Sen, 2004).

I've provided all the data I was able to come up with below the fold (in reverse chronological order). Take from it what you will. Again, this data has been put together in good faith but it should not, by any means, be considered a complete record of Raimondo's political contributions.

Kyle Michaelis :: The 35% Democrat??? Tony Raimondo By the Numbers

9/25/2007
$1,000 - Terry, Lee
8/22/2007
$500 - Fortenberry, Jeffrey Lane
08/10/2007 (Behlen)
$2500.00 - NE REPUBLICAN PARTY
7/31/2007
$500 - Republican National Cmte
7/31/2007
$500 - Republican National Cmte
6/23/2007
$1,000 - Smith, Adrian
6/15/2007
$200 - Republican Party of Nebraska
6/13/2007
$2,500 - National Republican Senatorial Cmte
3/30/2007 (wife)
$1,000 - Smith, Adrian
3/16/2007
$500 - Terry, Lee
10/30/2006
$250 - Kleeb, Scott
10/18/2006
$1,000 - Terry, Lee
10/13/2006 (wife)
$250 - Moul, Maxine B
10/13/2006
$250 - Nelson, Ben
10/13/2006
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
8/29/2006
$250 - Nelson, Ben
8/28/2006
$500 - Nelson, Ben
08/27/2006 (Behlen)
$3035.30 - GOVERNOR HEINEMAN COMMITTEE
8/23/2006
$500 - Nelson, Ben
7/11/2006
$2,000 - Smith, Adrian
5/9/2006 (wife)
$250 - Moul, Maxine B
3/31/2006
$500 - Nelson, Ben
3/31/2006
$500 - Nelson, Ben
03/18/2006 (Behlen)
$ 2389.16 - GOVERNOR HEINEMAN COMMITTEE
2/13/2006 (wife)
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
11/8/2005 (wife)
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
9/26/2005 (wife)
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
09/20/2005 (Behlen)
$500.00 - NE REPUBLICAN PARTY
7/11/2005
$1,000 -Republican Party of Nebraska
4/4/2005
$250 - Republican National Cmte
4/4/2005
$1,000 - Republican National Cmte
1/31/2005
$500 - Nelson, Ben
8/26/2004
$200 - Nebraska Republican Campaign Cmte
8/23/2004
$200 - Fortenberry, Jeffrey Lane
7/14/2004
$2,000 - Republican National Cmte
6/16/2004
$300 - Osborne, Tom
3/31/2004
$500 - Nelson, Ben
3/31/2004
$500 - Nelson, Ben
10/10/2003
$500 - Daschle, Tom
6/23/2003
$2,000 - Bush, George W
6/11/2003
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
5/1/2003
$300 - Nebraska Republican Campaign Cmte
2/8/2003
$500 - Nelson, Ben
9/14/2002
$250 - Simon, James Robert
8/9/2002
$1,000 - Terry, Lee
3/5/2002
$1,000 - Rely on Your Beliefs (Roy Blunt Leadership PAC)
9/10/2001
$500 - Hagel, Chuck
8/9/2001
$1,000 - Hagel, Chuck
12/07/2000 (Behlen)
$1000.00 - NE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
10/25/2000 (Behlen)
$5000.00 - NE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
7/28/2000
$1,000 - Republican National Cmte
7/28/2000
$1,000 - Republican National Cmte
06/01/2000 (Behlen)
$1000.00 - MIKE JOHANNS FOR GOVERNOR
3/31/2000
$500 - Moore, Scott Dale
3/4/2000
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
3/4/2000
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
3/4/2000
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
3/4/2000
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
11/3/1999
$1,000 - Kerrey, Bob
11/3/1999 (wife)
$1,000 - Kerrey, Bob
7/29/1999
$1,000 - Bush, George W
1/22/1999
$250 - Nebraska Republican Campaign Cmte
1/12/1999 (wife)
$1,000 - Hagel, Chuck
6/1/1998
$250 - Nebraska Republican Campaign Cmte
7/21/1997
$500 - Campaign America (Bob Dole)
12/18/1996
$1,000 - Hagel, Chuck
10/10/1996 (wife)
$500 - Nelson, Ben
10/10/1996
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
8/26/1996
$250 - Stenberg, Donald B
6/4/1996
$500 - Barrett, Bill
3/7/1996 (wife)
$250 - Nelson, Ben
12/20/1995
$1,000 - Nelson, Ben
10/20/1995
$500 - Allard, Wayne
6/30/1995
$500 - Hagel, Chuck
6/29/1995
$500 - Stenberg, Donald B
11/4/1994
$250 - Barrett, Bill
10/27/1994
$250 - Stoney, Janice D
10/13/1994
$500 - Stoney, Janice D
10/10/1994 (wife)
$550 - Kerrey, Bob
8/16/1994
$250 - Stoney, Janice D
6/6/1994
$500 - Christensen, Jon
4/6/1994 (wife)
$250 - Barrett, Bill
1/2/1994
$250 - Christensen, Jon
5/7/1993
$500 - Campaign America (Bob Dole)
11/5/1992
$250 - Nebraska Republican Campaign Cmte
7/6/1992 (wife)
$1,000 - Bush, George
8/29/1991
$500 - Barrett, Bill
04/05/1991 (Behlen)
$75.00 - NE REPUBLICAN PARTY
10/17/1990 (wife)
$1,000 - Daub, Hal
10/15/1990
$500 - Barrett, Bill
8/28/1990
$500 - Nebraska Republican Campaign Cmte
8/26/1990
$500 - Barrett, Bill
3/12/1990
$250 - Barrett, Bill
9/25/1989
$381 - Barrett, Bill
05/05/1987 (Behlen)
$500.00 - NE REPUBLICAN PARTY
11/03/1986 (Behlen)
$300.00 - NE REPUBLICAN PARTY
06/04/1986 (Behlen)
$250.00 - NE REPUBLICAN PARTY

Tags: Tony Raimondo, NE-Sen, Dems, GOP, (All Tags)

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The 35% Democrat??? Tony Raimondo By the Numbers | 11 comments

What that tells me... (0.00 / 0)

He seems to give money to candidates from both parties based on their prospects of winning. Hence, $1,000 to Lee Terry but only $250 to Jim Simon.

In other words, not much we can gather from this in an ideological sense. Though I will point out that a guy who just 3 months ago contributed large amounts to all three Republican Congressmen in Nebraska doesn't seem to be someone who is disillusioned with the Republican Party.

by: Dave Sund @ Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 19:46:24 PM CST

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Opportunity knocks. (0.00 / 0)

Yup, thanks Kyle for making the case that the guy looks like he has a soft spot for Democrats named Ben Nelson. Yeah, and a few others. But it looks to me that he is, and always will be, an opportunist. He's buttered his bread on both sides so that he could hedge his bets. If a Dem won, he could always say, "Hey, I donated to your campaign."

by: BTOz @ Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 22:39:27 PM CST

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I gotta say... (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for the effort on this one. I'm sure it took some time and I appreciate the cold hard facts, here. Because there's not much to like when you get right down to it. When push came to shove, he gave a lot more money to Republicans - including thousands of dollars just over the last year.

by: Dave Sund @ Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 20:00:45 PM CST

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I'll repeat Dave's thanks (0.00 / 0)

Though this information doesn't really impact the concerns I personally have with Raimondo as a candidate, I do appreciate this post and the work that went behind it.

by: Ryan Anderson @ Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 22:30:17 PM CST

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I really don't mean this in the "loaded question" way, (0.00 / 0)

but what is the rationale behind giving money to candidates running against each other in a two candidate race?

I know there are the "buttering both sides of the bread" explanations, but what would Tony say?

by: Eric @ Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 00:01:15 AM CST

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If I were going to spin it for him... (0.00 / 0)

... I would say that I was a business man trying to do what is best for my business and that meant giving money to the people I thought would win.

Now, that doesn't help him a bit electorally... thankfully for those on here who think he's the antichrist, heheh.

"When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that is love... and between those two, my life turns." -Nisargadatta Maharaj

by: SolOmaha @ Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 19:42:19 PM CST

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He is the antichrist... (0.00 / 0)

I just can't prove it yet.

All I need to is Holy Water and a Bible touched by the Pope. Shouldn't be too hard.

Nebraska Netroots | A new community blog for Nebraska Democrats!

by: Mike Nellis @ Sat Dec 01, 2007 at 10:25:58 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Good work Kyle! (0.00 / 0)

Very good collection of figures. I am very impressed.

This does, however, only back up how I feel about Raimondo.

Nebraska Netroots | A new community blog for Nebraska Democrats!

by: Mike Nellis @ Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 10:10:31 AM CST

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Good work, Kyle&Dave (0.00 / 0)

Yes, Kyle, good work. And Dave also did a fine
job of researching Tony Raimondo's political
history.

by: tomdorsch @ Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 11:36:41 AM CST

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First question to this guy.... (0.00 / 0)

...if he runs...."Can you explain your weird contribution history?"

by: NYBri @ Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 14:35:15 PM CST

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What a joke (0.00 / 0)

The NE Democratic Party has no integrity at ALL if it gets in bed with this corporate tool. He's been a Republican. He gives a lot to Republicans. Yes, he plays both sides, but that is because he is a corporatist, so puts money down wherever he can get some pay-back; they all do. He DOES have an ideology: self-interested profit. This is how it works across the land folks! Money and politics. So, there is nothing to explain about his "wierd" contribution history because it isn;t wierd. It is the standard in a system ruled by welathy elites. It also indicates that BOTH parties have been utterly captured by these large corporate interests and both do their bidding.

If this fool is the Democratic nominee, I'm sittin' this election out.

It does indicate the sorry-ass state of the NE Dems, though, that they are THIS desparate!

Geez.

by: democracy8888 @ Sat Dec 01, 2007 at 10:02:36 AM CST

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The 35% Democrat??? Tony Raimondo By the Numbers | 11 comments