WASHINGTON -
CUNA’s PAC contributed $1-million to individual candidates last year, ranking it just behind several labor PACs and trade association PACs. Among those ahead of CUNA was the American Bankers Association, which contributed $1.2 million to candidates.
Those figures do not include more than $200,000 CUNA contributed to so-called leadership PACs, second campaign funds operated by key members of Congress, or $180,000 CUNA contributed to the campaign committees for each of the two major parties.
CUNA’s PAC raised just over $2 million for 2007 and made more than $1.3 million in contributions.
It started 2008, election year, with more than $700,000 cash on hand. The majority of CUNA’s contributions go to individual candidates, with 59% going to Democrats, the other 41% to Republicans.
The bankers, however, continued to back the Republicans, even as the Democrats have taken control of both chambers of Congress, with the ABA contributing 61% to Republicans and 39% to Democrats.
The other PACs ahead of CUNA on the list of top givers are: the Operating Engineers Union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AT&T, Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union, National Beer Wholesalers Association, National Association of Realtors, American Association for Justice, Laborers Union and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
