Senate candidate Natalie Tennant, D-W.V., claimed recently that it was “farm folks” chipping in small amounts of money who were funding her campaign.
“You know, farm folks giving $5, $10, $15 — that’s who’s funding me,” Tennant said.
Tennant made the claim while speaking before the Marion County Chamber of Commerce, and as you can imagine, it’s not true.
Small-dollar contributions make up about a quarter (24 percent) of Tennant’s fundraising, while large donations account for nearly half (49 percent) of her fundraising, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Contributions from political PACs made up another 20 percent.
As for “farm folks,” Tennant may be receiving some small donations from farmers, but of donations large enough to require donor disclosure ($250 and up), she has gotten only $3,083 from self-described farmers or farm-related businesspeople — a little under 3 percent of what her opponent, Republican Shelley Moore Capito, has received.
So who’s really funding Tennant’s campaign? Ideologically aligned organizations, leadership PACs and a few plaintiffs’ law firms.
Tennant’s top 10 contributors are: Emily’s List ($167,710); personal injury law firms Bucci, Bailey & Javins ($21,200), Bordas & Bordas ($20,400) and Miley Legal Group ($10,400); manufacturing company Park Corp ($20,400); the anti-nuke group Council for a Livable World ($15,850); Blue Dot Energy Services ($13,000); Waco Oil & Gas ($12,500); the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees ($10,500) and Mine Power Systems ($10,400).
