Four potential running mates of Mitt Romney’s have significant ties to the lobbying industry, an issue that could force the GOP candidate to look at deeper down his list of vice presidential picks.
First Street Research Group told Secrets that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman could be targets of anti-lobbying industry attack from the Democrats and President Obama.
Rubio, they revealed, accepted 108 donations from lobbyists in 2011, Ryan 97. Thune has a former lobbyist on staff and five former staffers employed as lobbyists. Portman has four former staffers now lobbying and one former lobbyist on staff.
Among the highlights from the group’s latest lobbying report:
— A total of 22 current and former staffers of the potential congressional VP candidates have worked as lobbyists.
— The two potential VP candidates with the most staffers that have swung through the revolving door, Senator’s Portman and Thune, are also the two who have received the least number of contributions from lobbyists.
— Of the current lobbyists who worked for a potential congressional VP candidate, only one, Robert Taylor (former Thune staffer), gave to a non-Romney presidential candidate. He donated $2,500 to Rick Perry’s campaign.
— Sen. Rubio and Rep. Ryan both received the most support from K Street with each of them receiving donations from almost 100 lobbyists. The two VP candidates pulled from different K Street crowds as only 21 lobbyists contributed to both Rubio and Ryan.
