Obama Trumps Romney With Small Donors
EmailIn the scramble for campaign cash, President Obama has proved once again that he’s king, at least among American small-dollar donors.
Nearly half — 48 percent — of Obama’s $118 million haul in 2011 came from individuals giving $200 or less, according to a new analysis by the Campaign Finance Institute, a nonpartisan group.
Small-donors made up only 9 percent of the 2011 fundraising total for Mitt Romney.
But it’s on the other end of the donor spectrum that Romney holds more sway: He gathered 82 percent of his funds from donors giving $1,000 or more, the Campaign Finance Institute found. Those high-dollar donors comprise just 28 percent of Obama’s total.
Looked at in absolute sums, Obama raised more money from small donors last year — $56.7 million to $56.3 million — than Romney collected from all donors combined.
Michael Malbin, executive director of the Campaign Finance Institute, said the figures could represent a significant advantage for Obama beyond the bottom line.
“Because small donors can give again, and may be willing to serve as campaign volunteers, successful small-donor fundraising can serve a political purpose that goes well beyond the reported dollars,” Malbin said in a statement.
Obama isn’t the only candidate relying on small donations to play a major supporting role in his campaign.
Newt Gingrich received $6 million, or 49 percent of his fundraising total, from contributors giving $200 or less in 2011. Ron Paul netted $12 million, or 48 percent of his total, while Rick Santorum gathered $700,000 or 32 percent of his reported total last year.
The Obama campaign said it had received contributions from more than 1.3 million donors with the average donation being $55.
UPDATE: A Romney campaign spokesperson emails to suggest that the CFI report paints an inaccurate picture. In the 4th quarter, 84 percent of all donations to the Romney campaign were $250 or less, the official said.
By way of comparison, the Obama campaign says 98 percent of all its donations received were $250 or less.
However, measuring contributions — or, increments of giving — only presents a partial picture of a candidate’s donor base, since many donors give multiple times.
The CFI report described above presents analysis of small donors themselves, each giving “in aggregate” $200 or less to the candidate in 2011.
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
No No NO, I ain’t contributing nor voting for Obama….No No No…he’s for everone but the American citizen….I guess that’s because technically since his Father was born overseas and wasn’t an American citizen when he was born, he’s not truly an American citizen, but a possible dual national, unless he petitioned for citizenship at 18….oh that’s right, we aren’t supposed to talk about that….
Posted by: no no no Obama | February 8, 2012, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
oh that’s right, we aren’t supposed to talk about that….
Posted by: no no no Obama | February 8, 2012, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
You go right ahead, it just offers further proof to everyday Americans of how whacked out the Republican right is.
Posted by: John | February 8, 2012, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm
Let’s see, Obama trumps Romney in small donors and national polls. Santorum trumps Romney in 3 states, and squeaked out a victory in Iowa too. Gingrich trumps Romney in SC. Paul trumps Romney when it comes to conviction and providing his followers with inspiration and motivation.
The megarich, out of touch corporate raider is getting trumped. No wonder Trump endorsed him. So much free advertising. lol.
Posted by: J-bone | February 9, 2012, 3:26 am 3:26 am
Note that the “journalist” Devin Dwyer who wrote this even calls Obama “The King”. A freudian slip if ever there was one.
Posted by: Todd | February 9, 2012, 4:57 am 4:57 am
Since Holder never prosecuted the New Black Panters for their elections violations, its a safe bet he didn’t prosecute anyone for the Mickey and Minney Mouse, Donald Duck, et al fraudulent donations to Obama in the 2008 campaign. I just wonder how many more of these Mickey Mouse donations were given in 2011 and will be in 2012?
Posted by: deanbob | February 9, 2012, 7:24 am 7:24 am
There’s an ongoing investigation of Obama’s 2008 campaign contributions…
From The Business Journals (January 2012):
The Washington Post reported that the “Obama campaign was allowing donors to use largely untraceable pre-paid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor’s identity.” The problem with these pre-paid cards is that is makes it impossible to determine if foreign nationals are contributing to a campaign, or if single donors are giving multiple small donations, thus exceeding the contribution limits, or even if an outside group is purchasing these cards for individual donors to evade the reporting requirements.
The Obama campaign received 47% of its donations from donors giving less than the $200 limit that would require automatic reporting. In comparison, John McCain’s 2008 Presidential campaign received 26% of his donations from less than $200 donors.
The FEC launched an audit of the Obama 2008 campaign in April of 2011, but no results of the investigation have been released to the public. According to reports in Roll Call, during the 2010 cycle, the Obama campaign led all organizations when it came to sending refunds to individual donors. Following the election, it disclosed disbursement transactions totaling more than $5.7 million in refunds.
“The FEC claims these audits take three to four years—or even longer—to complete. That’s unacceptable,” said Lance Davis, Executive Director of U.S. Citizens Association. “President Obama has been in full campaign mode for at least the last year. We’re in 2012 now. Is the Obama campaign still accepting questionable contributions and where are they coming from?” Mr. Davis continued.
Posted by: Stacey | February 9, 2012, 8:00 am 8:00 am
to stacey@ February 9, 2012, 8:00 am :
RollCall: “The FEC’s decision to audit the campaign is not surprising, given that it was the largest federal campaign in history, raising more than $750 million in receipts. If Obama’s campaign were not audited, it would have been the first presidential nominee’s campaign to escape such scrutiny since the public financing system was created in 1976.” … “Presidential audits typically take years to complete and can cost millions of dollars.”
Posted by: Roxanne | February 9, 2012, 8:59 am 8:59 am
Posted by: Roxanne | February 9, 2012, 8:59 am 8:59 am
From The Business Journals (January 2012):
The FEC has compiled a separate database of potentially questionable overseas donations that contains more than 11,500 contributions totaling $3.38 Million. More than 520 listed their “state” as “IR”, which the FEC often uses as an abbreviation for “information requested.” Another 63 listed it as “UK”, the United Kingdom. But others came from places as far afield as Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Beijing, Fallujah, Florence, Italy, and a wide selection of towns and cities in France. The Washington Post reported in 2008 that “the Obama Campaign allowed donors to use largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor’s identity…”
“Faced with a huge influx of donations over the Internet, the campaign also chose not to use basic security measures to prevent potentially illegal or anonymous contributions from flowing into its accounts, aides acknowledged. Instead, the campaign is scrutinizing its books for improper donations after the money has been deposited.” Mr. Davis says this practice of disabling security measures could lead to single donors being able to give multiple donations of $199 without being reported. “In fact, almost half of the money Obama raised in 2008, almost $200 Million came from donors giving less than $200.
Posted by: Stacey | February 9, 2012, 9:11 am 9:11 am
Note that the “journalist” Devin Dwyer who wrote this even calls Obama “The King”. Posted by: Todd | February 9, 2012, 4:57 am
Republicans are idiots. He didn’t call Obama “The King”. He said he is ‘king among small dollar donors.’ Reading comprehension is non-existent on the Right. Deliberately changing what was said in order to try and make Obama look bad is, of course, the norm on the Right. Republicans are idiots. And liars.
Posted by: Disgusted with gop | February 9, 2012, 10:48 am 10:48 am
Posted by: Disgusted with gop | February 9, 2012, 10:48 am 10:48 am
Obama is my King and also my Messiah. Go away, angry boy.
Posted by: Zen | February 9, 2012, 11:09 am 11:09 am
POSTED BY: DISGUSTED WITH GOP | FEBRUARY 9, 2012, 10:48 AM 10:48 AM, why do you assume that it is a republican, so can we assume you are a left, bleeding heart liberal? Pres.Obama received donation from Palestinians (foreign donations) , mexican drug lords, etc.etc.
Posted by: Lizzie | February 9, 2012, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
Pres.Obama received donation from Palestinians (foreign donations) , mexican drug lords, etc.etc.
Posted by: Lizzie | February 9, 2012, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
You have to quit reading right wing comic books.
Posted by: Jennifer | February 9, 2012, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
Pres.Obama received donation from Palestinians (foreign donations) , mexican drug lords, etc.etc. Posted by: Lizzie | February 9, 2012, 12:33 pm.
ROFL! What a liar. Or can you provide proof? Didn’t think so.
The US Chamber of Commerce receives tens of millions of foreign dollars in contributions and fees from around the world. The US Chamber of Commerce donates tens of millions of dollars to Republican candidates and causes in the USA. Therefore, the US Chamber of Commerce launders foreign money into our political system. Republicans get foreign money to help them get elected. Correct?
Posted by: Disgusted with gop | February 9, 2012, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
So if 48% of his money is from small donors, and is more than all of romney’s donors combined, that means the other 52% from big donors is also more than romney’s donors combined—meaning, obama takes more dollars from rich donors than romney does.
Posted by: Chris | May 7, 2012, 11:11 pm 11:11 pm